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Chapter Text

Things were most certainly not fine.

Within a year and a half of what came to be known as the 'Bar Blow Up', the village was close to falling apart. Most of the damage occurred in the last six months. Touka Senju's venom-filled outburst slowly poisoned their peace, as she intended from the instant when she realized that her younger cousin had fled for safety. It had been a carefully calculated trap from the shadows, planned years in advance, just waiting until the first moment she could spring it safely.

The reason behind Tobirama's refusal to bend the knee spread like wildfire through the clans. Initially, the expected cries of hearsay and lies cropped up. Detractors, those who hated the White Demon with as much fervor now as they did before, declared it nothing but an attempt to undermine their Hokage, sew discord, and restart the war.

But then came the evidence.

The marriage contract for Sachiko Senju, Tobirama's mother, was produced. That spread like wildfire as well. At some point early on, copies were made and disseminated. Hashirama tried to retract it and shut it down with an official order. That only fanned the gossip. No one could be sure who leaked it, but they all knew who did not by Touka Senju's reaction.

The woman had been livid at the breach of privacy. As horrifying as the few details she had willfully provided that day in the bar were, it was nothing close to the full scope of the abuse laid out on paper. And like with all good gossip, the victim wasn't spared their dignity.

Sachiko's memory was dragged back from the grave without care. She was bandied about like currency. Assumptions about her personality, character, abilities, and what happened behind closed doors were all fair game. Touka nearly killed two ninja after she heard them speculating in broad daylight in the busy marketplace on the dead woman's ability in bed.

After that, the village quickly realized that the swordswoman was the standard in her clan, not the exception. Apparently, it was only the old guard that disliked their former heir. Those still fighting fit down to the youngest child rallied together to express their discontent when they eventually had the leave to do so. The clans learned more about Tobirama in those following weeks than they had in all prior years.

The influx of personal details about the intimidating Senju Demon triggered the gossip about Tobirama, who was, by all accounts, a private and reserved individual. Questions about what type of person he had to be, his abilities, and his accomplishments and plans for the village. Whispers, wondering why his elders were so desperate to get rid of him, crept up. Surprisingly, though, for as entertaining as all the gossipmongering was, it ended relatively quickly when the Nara got involved.

For the first couple of months, the shadow clan had been quiet. They had kept their council to themselves and had, for all appearances, not paid much attention to the scandal rocketing through the village. They'd gone about their days as usual, slowly and lazily.

Then, two months after the revelation, when talk about Tobirama was beginning to ramp up, Nara finally opened their mouths. New chatter cropped up, all carefully cultivated. Quiet speculation that evolved into extrapolation drew attention away from Sachiko's character. Instead, it focused on her mistreatment. Talk of her son quickly disappeared with the subtle redirection. Murmurs grew and took root, sinking into ears already listening. What started as whispers soon grew into fervent bellows of outrage.

It shouldn't have been surprising that the clan liked Tobirama. They valued intelligence and cunning, which happened to be two of the young man's defining characteristics. While not official allies with the Senju, the Nara were neutral enough to have peacefully interacted with Tobirama a handful of times over the years on intersecting missions or at court. They knew him.

So, when talk finally circled back to what started it all, as the Nara intended from the beginning, he wasn't surprised to see the meticulous detail put into the marriage contract's evaluation.

Entire sections of the thing were called out as unlawful. There were flagrant breaches of basic decorum. So disgraceful were they that the parties involved would have been executed if they had attempted it with any other clan. The many, and there were many, stipulations that undermined Sachiko's autonomy far beyond a typical arranged marriage kept adding up. Even worse, the written sins created even more silent ones.

Once a proper level of indignation existed, the Nara pulled kindling from their place in the shadows and watched others bring the wood. When that was ready, they tossed accelerant on it all and lit a match. The clans were reminded of the Senju elders' attempt to inflict the same violation on their clan heir. The spark caught, and the Nara vengefully fanned the flames as it burned.

After all, didn't the clan head eagerly support the marriage?

The Uchiha leader heard the whispers in bars and back rooms and, damningly, his own clan compound.

Didn't Tobirama's beloved elder brother blindly agree to gift him to the enemy? All without bothering to review the terms?

Madara couldn't help but think the blaze that roared to life was horrifyingly beautiful.

Chapter Text

The room was tense, and frustration burrowed deeper each minute they waited for the Hokage.

Hashirama called a meeting shortly after midday and sent a summons to all clan heads and village administration to ensure they attended. Grudgingly, they crammed into the tower's fourth-floor space that acted as their conference room. It wasn't intended for a complete gathering and was a tight squeeze. As he sat idle in the chair to the left of the Hokage's place, Madara added another item to his mental list of village improvements.

The usual undercurrent of bubbling resentment they'd all come to expect festered in the back edge of the large table the heads were sitting around. The Uchiha leader tried to ignore it, but Touka was a beacon, and many other clan leaders couldn't help but notice. It was a common occurrence to take stock of her temperament and calculate how long the meeting would last before things descended into caustic, barely-leashed hostilities between the clan head and Hokage. 

Not that they blamed her. If others could get away with it, several clan heads would show their lack of faith in the elected Hokage as well. While things had settled a great deal, a stagnating discontent was floating just beneath thinning veneers of respect and obedience. The village political field was more and more like a minefield each day, and the Hokage wasn't as adept at reading a map as he should be. Though, he obviously knew the explosives were there.

Hashirama had taken to sending Mito as his representative to leadership meetings when he could get away with it. It wasn't all that often, though, seeing as how the Uzumaki princess had no genuine authority as the Hokage's wife. The Trinity alliance subtly stirred the pot when things looked to be dying down by pointing out that fact. Mito swallowed her displeasure each time they levied the insult and tried her best to mediate between all parties involved.

Touka was leaning back in her seat, her right leg crossed over her left, and drummed her long nails on the tabletop. Her lips were freshly painted and pulled into a thin line as dark eyes locked on the far door. Shimiji Inuzuka sat beside her, leaning towards her and quietly whispering. The Senju shook her head slightly and glanced away to meet Madara's stare. The two studied each other for a long moment before the woman looked back to the entrance, waiting for her older cousin to arrive.

Finally, almost ten minutes after the scheduled start of the meeting, Hashirama entered. 

He was unusually somber. For once, his robes were unwrinkled, and his hat was absent. Mito followed a few steps behind with a carefully cultivated blank expression. The usual boisterous greeting never came as he strode to his chair at the head of the table, worrying Madara. Their leader's face was strained, and everyone shelved their annoyance with his tardiness to give him their full attention. Something big must have happened for him to be as serious as he was right then. Even Touka remained silent and waited.

Hashirama sat and placed both hands on the table, for once not sparing a moment to smile at the Uchiha clan head next to him. After a deep breath, he looked up and ran his eyes around the room, briefly meeting each person's gaze. He hesitated a long second on Touka before moving on to the next. Finally, when he'd finished the headcount, he sighed and looked at his hands.

"Two hours ago, an official messenger arrived from the capital," he said, startling everyone in the room.

When he stalled, Haruko Hyuuga spoke up. "From the Daimyo?"

The Hokage nodded, a rare frown creasing his face. "He's displeased with the rumors continuing to make the rounds about Konoha."

No one needed clarification as to which rumors those were.

"The Daimyo sent an investigator."

"An investigator?" The question came from the back of the room, an unknown administrator's words carrying over the rising din of voices. "To investigate what?"

Hashirama's frown deepened, and he glanced around the room before answering. "I've been told they are looking into the village's feasibility."

Absolute silence fell, the threat clear to every ninja in the room. Madara's stomach clenched as his heart pounded away in his chest. Fear was slowly building in him, and he could also tell in many others. It wasn't perfect, far from it, but no one wanted to lose their new home. No one wanted to lose peace and return to how it was five years ago.

"What was the exact wording, Lord Hokage?" Shikamoto Nara asked, by all appearances unaffected by the news.

Mito stepped forward and pulled the missive in question from her sleeve. She gave it to Madara, who glanced at the gilding and formal calligraphy before passing it down the table. When it reached the Nara clan head, the man opened it and studied the wording with a focused intensity rarely displayed. After several minutes, the man placed the letter gingerly down on the table's surface and turned his attention back to Hashirama.

"It seems to be targeted at the village's logistic feasibility, not the concept as a whole. While there is a veiled reference to other... personal... rumors, he is primarily concerned with his investment."

Building a village had not been affordable, even with half a dozen clans all chipping in and a man who could literally pull houses from the ground. Outside funding comprised most of their construction budget and had to come from somewhere. That somewhere happened to be the capital, the Daimyo in particular. In return for the initial financing, Konoha would work off its debt by taking a certain number of missions per year in perpetuity and paying five percent of all revenue earned for the first twenty years or until they repaid the debt, whichever was later.

The Daimyo's fronting so much of the cost inevitably afforded Fire's ruler a more significant say in the village's running than people were comfortable with. Like now, he could insert himself into Konoha's administration at his whim, threatening to call in the debt to keep them compliant. After all, defaulting on the loan or, even worse, disavowing the man's authority altogether meant facing severe repercussions.

While they were powerful, the village's clans were small. The Daimyo's mundane forces numbered in the hundreds of thousands when mustered in full force. On top of that, they had to contend with any other clans and contracted ninja that hadn't joined the village. Several clans refused Hashirama's invitation, all of whom would answer the Daimyo's call. Again, while not usually concerning, as most of those clans were little and relatively minor, the Hatake and Aburame clans were among that list. The wolves and bugs were smaller, yes, but they were powerful and highly effective. 

And even if Konoha defeated those enemies, all Fire's ruler had to do was reach out to his counterparts for aid. Even with the well-known tension and bad blood, the other Daimyo wouldn't hesitate to provide assistance in quelling a coup. After all, no mundane ruler would stand for their ninja clans rising against them. 

Beyond that, while self-serving, the lords also had a history of collaborating on significant problems outside of fortifying their power bases. That cooperation had only increased since the concept of a ninja village was born. The major countries had banded together in the past year alone to resolve multiple issues. Something as revolutionary as unifying a country's ninja clans was hard to ignore.

There were reports that Earth and Wind were both trying to establish their own villages. However, without much success, thankfully. From the last believable report, both suffered catastrophic damage before even half of their buildings were up. They'd had to restart from the ground up. It was whispered to be sabotage.

At the end of things, even if the Fire Lord decided not to raise an army against them, he always had the economy behind him. Hypothetically, all he had to do if they rebelled was place a unilateral embargo on trade with Konoha, citing their breakage of a good-faith agreement, and the village would collapse within a few years. They were fighters and assassins, first and foremost. While many clans had trades to fall back on, they derived that income from materials sourced outside the village. Over ninety percent of the commodities they relied upon for day-to-day life were imported. Food, clothing, household and luxury items... all bought from other villages and cities within the Fire nation. All of which would dry up on the order of their Daimyo. No other nation would support a people who broke their word and went back on a legally binding contract with their lord.

If Fire's Daimyo decided to cut his losses, Konoha would be in serious trouble.

"Where is the investigator now?" The Yamanaka's head asked, drawing Madara from his spiraling thoughts.

"In his temporary residence," Mito answered. "He is resting from the journey and will begin his review tomorrow."

"And are we assisting with his review?"

Heads turned to look at the clinic’s deputy standing to the side of the room. She was a Senju woman Hashirama appointed to take over when the role became too much for him on top of village leadership. Madara thought her name was Aika.

Shikamoto spoke up again, his voice grave. "We have no choice. Not if we wish to remain in good standing with the Daimyo."

Akiko -that was her name- straightened, and a scowl appeared as she looked at the Nara clan head. "Why? We can just give him a good impression and send him on his way. No need to cater to the Daimyo's whims."

"The Daimyo," the Akimichi head cut in reprovingly, "has every right to investigate how this village is doing. If we cannot stand up to his scrutiny, we have larger issues than we think. His bias is predisposed to be in our favor, at least."

The Senju healer scoffed. "Just feed him what we want him to take back. How hard is that?"

"And when it's found out the report was falsified?" Nara chimed in.

"No one will-"

Touka banged her hand down on the table and silenced her clan member. "Enough," she said firmly, staring the woman down. "Lying to the Daimyo's representative is as much a crime now as it was before. Do not mention your idea again. Am I understood?"

Surprisingly, Akiko bowed her head in genuine remorse. "I apologize, Senju-sama. I was out of line to suggest such a thing. I'm merely concerned about what this man will find."

They were all concerned.

Even if this investigator limited his scope to the actual logistics of the village and not the political and personal drama still running rampant, he'd find more than enough to cause their Daimyo to doubt. Trade was sporadic, the electrical grid fluctuated on bad days, and the roads still hadn't been paved due to drainage pipes bursting during heavy storms. Clans were beginning to argue about space as they planned for future expansion, running up against each other's borders or upset with what land they were assigned initially.

They had reason to be concerned.

Chapter Text

The royal investigator stayed a week and a half. Tenkai Kato, an Infrastructure undersecretary, was a thin middle-aged man with faintly rat-like features and a perpetual need to clear his throat. While obviously not happy about being given this assignment, he wasn't blatantly prejudiced like many other ministry administrators tended to be. Which was surprisingly hopeful. Not many mundane officials had a positive opinion of ninjas. Most tended to view shinobi as vicious dogs who could slip their leashes at any moment.

"Keep your people out of my way, Uchiha-dono."

Madara turned his head from where he was comparing two tomatoes at a vegetable stand to stare at the investigator. He had approached quietly, for a civilian, and stood several paces away. A largish book was cradled in his right arm, with his spindly left hand gripping the bag strap that hung off that side's shoulder.

Years of inspection work created a slight stoop in Kato's shoulders that made him hunch ever so slightly whenever he forgot to mind his posture. This was surprisingly often for a court official. Most of his time in Konoha was spent in motion, weaving through busy streets and alleyways and ducking under obstacles or into tight, out-of-sight access points for the sewer or electrical systems.

"I don't know what you mean, Kato-san," Madara said innocently.

Tenkai raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "We both know I'm digging into sensitive areas and looking up kimonos. We also both know that it's my job to do so. And that I'm good at that job. Ninja popping up and 'escorting' me around or 'explaining' things to me is only slowing me down. Frankly, I also find it annoying. I want to be here as much as you want me to be."

Madara was a little impressed with the man's lack of fear and amused at the honesty. He had a reputation, one that he knew good and well reached the capital, but Kato didn't seem to give one whiff about it. The inspector, instead, seemed more off-put by Hashirama's genuine exuberance. The man did his best to never be in the same place as the Hokage after Hashirama cried at him about how beautiful the village was.

Tenkai didn't give Madara a chance to prevaricate. "I understand that you're all paranoid with security. I don't fault you for that. But keep them out of my way. I keep getting interrupted, and I'll put that down in my final report as obstruction."

With that, the investigator turned and marched his way back to the inn he was staying at, leaving Madara bemused. As he watched the older man depart, the Uchiha made a mental note to talk to Izuna and Shikamoto about making sure the guard detail was a little more subtle. While it was funny to play with stuffed-up officials, Kato was not the run-of-the-mill administrator and didn't seem to be afraid of calling them out on their shit.

__________________________________

Tenkai finished his work and departed Konoha, and word from the capital came three weeks later. It was brought by another official, this one appointed to the Daimyo's diplomatic department. He presented the determination, a large scroll bound in red silk cord and edged in silver, to the Hokage in his office before departing with his escort to the inn he would stay in for the night. The next day, he planned to return, receive the Hokage's acceptance of the Daimyo's orders, and then leave.

Madara was with him when the messenger arrived and remained silent until the older, stooped man had gone before looking to Hashirama in expectation. Hashirama held the scroll in his hand, staring at it with dread. There didn't seem to be any move to open it, and Madara bit back irritation. Instead of snapping at the Senju, he walked over and gently took the letter from his friend and broke the royal seal. The Uchiha unrolled the heavy parchment and carefully read through it, taking time to pick through the wording for veiled and double meanings. After reading it through twice, he rolled the scroll up and numbly handed it back to the other man.

"That bad?" Hashirama asked apprehensively.

"Six months," he answered vaguely.

"What?" Hashirama looked at him in confusion before snapping the scroll open to read for himself. "Six months for what?"

"To fix things." Madara felt his stomach drop and start to cramp. Instead of sticking around, waiting for the Hokage to finish reading to scream at the man, the Uchiha numbly left the office and made his way to the Nara's compound.

Once there, he wasn't kept waiting. His expression must have seemed worrying enough to gain an immediate audience with the shadow clan head. Even better, the other two-thirds of the Trinity Clans were also present when shown out to the back garden. The Akimichi leader, Choko, took one look at him and quickly stood from the table the three were sitting around to rush to his side and take hold of his elbow. 

"Inojiro, pour some tea. Quick," she barked to the Yamanaka. She gently led Madara over to the table and, together with Shikamoto, lowered him down onto the unoccupied cushion. "Easy, Madara. Easy now, nice and slow."

Shikamoto retook his seat across from him while Choko sat beside him and Inojiro placed a fresh cup of tea in front of him. She prompted him to drink when he didn't move to pick it up. It tasted like rancid wine on his tongue, but Madara swallowed it down anyway. He set the empty cup down and looked up to meet Shikamoto's concerned gaze.

"The Daimyo's taking the village," he whispered brokenly.

All three leaders' eyes widened, and they began to speak at once. Their voices hurriedly tripped over each other, blending into a convoluted mess that the fire user was too shocked to untangle. After a half-minute, Yamanaka won out and shushed the other two. He leaned forward into Madara's space and nudged him until he looked at the blonde.

"What do you mean?" he questioned worriedly.

Madara gulped and looked down at the tea set. "The Daimyo's determination just arrived. He's not going to allow us to keep the village if we don't fix things immediately."

"How soon is immediate?" the Nara asked.

"Six months," Madara whispered. "We have six months to correct all deficiencies, or he's taking control of the village's administration."

All four clan leaders knew that would be Konoha's death knell if that happened. The Daimyo wouldn't continue to pour money into something he deemed enough of a failure to take over himself. At best, he'd tear it all down in order to rebuild. At worst, he'd kick them out and turn the corpse of the village into a military outpost, leaving the clans that had given up their ancestral lands homeless. Most would be destitute, whether or not they had somewhere to fall back to.

"What was the exact wording," Shikamoto asked, voice shaking slightly.

Madara's dulled eyes met the other man's. "Is this what you wanted?" he asked.

"What?" Choko straightened in her seat, her brow furrowing in faint anger at the accusation.

He disregarded her and asked again. "Is this what you wanted?"

"Madara, what was the exact wording?" the Nara pressed, ignoring the question.

"It can't have been," the Uchiha answered himself. "Why?"

Inojiro carefully reached over and placed a hand on his, startling him and making his dark eyes jerk to the blond beside him.

"Madara, please, regardless of what you think we've done... we need to know what the Daimyo said."

"The village has been deemed a failing venture. While still operational, it's expected to collapse in a year or two. Konoha is being given six months to correct all identified deficiencies before the Daimyo calls in the loan and takes ownership of the village as collateral before that happens."

The table fell silent, horrified at the news. Eventually, Yamanaka shared a look with Nara and glanced at Akimichi purposefully before jerking his chin in Madara's direction. Choko frowned before Nara stood and rounded the table. He knelt beside Madara, placed a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder, and squeezed.

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly and waited until Madara looked at him before continuing. "I'm sorry that it's come to this. I know this was your dream."

"I wanted my brother safe," he mumbled brokenly. "I wanted us all safe."

Choko and Inojiro shared an anxious glance but turned their attention back to the Shadow Master and Calamity. Shikamoto nodded at him.

"And we'll remain that way," he promised the breaking younger man. "Madara, don't lose hope. We can't give up before we even try. The Daimyo gave us half a year. That's not a lot of time, but there's no telling what we can achieve if we put in the effort."

"I don't know what to do," Madara admitted, his voice strained. "I don't want things to go back to how they were."

"They won't," Choko said, determination growing as she continued. "We won't let them. First, we get everyone together and go over the Daimyo's letter. Then, once we know what we're dealing with, we'll get to work."

Inojiro nodded determinedly. "Choko's right, Madara. No one wants to go back to fighting with each other. This village has shown us that we can live in peace. No one wants to lose that."

"Then why rip it apart?" the Uchiha leader asked Shikamoto. Accusation dripped from the question.

Shikamoto sighed tiredly. "I wanted to force Hashirama's hand," he admitted. "I wanted him to admit he had done wrong by his heir and bring his brother back into the fold. The village can't function the way it is. Tobirama was always meant to be here to help run it and keep it afloat."

"Hashirama won't do that," Madara shot back, anger licking at the back of his throat. "He honestly thinks the village is better off without him."

As he said it, he tasted the wrongness to it, like a salty dish cooked with a barely too liberal hand. While the overall flavor was correct, Hashirama's unwillingness to discuss bringing his brother to Konoha, the profile was just slightly off. It was too neat, that story about Tobirama's banishment. Convenient. Hashriama wore it like a facade, but Madara knew him too well to miss the strain hiding behind it.

Inojiro scowled. "We need Tobirama."

"Hashirama won't go back on his decision."

"Not even if it's you confronting him?" Choko inquired.

Madara shook his head, hair rustling and falling into his eyes briefly. "He won't acknowledge that he's wrong about his brother. Even now, when people wonder if Tobirama opposed peace, Hashirama stays silent rather than answer."

"Do you think that?"

Madara's eyes snapped to Inojiro, and he felt his Sharingan burst into life, unfurling and sharpening the world around him. The Trinity leaders all stiffened but purposefully refrained from reacting further. Automatic anger scratched at the Uchiha's innards as he glared at the blond man.

"If Tobirama Senju was against peace, all he had to do was not show mercy. He had every opportunity to kill Izuna that day. Instead, he simply wounded him. Tobirama injured my brother and then stood back to let Hashirama heal him.

"If Tobirama was against peace, why did he spend years creating blueprints for a fantasy village two stupid kids dreamed up before they knew any better?"

And it had taken years. Anyone with a shrewd eye could see the work put into the original plans. There were faint revision marks to incorporate new technology released several years apart. Different inks and charcoal were used, and a few were distinctive enough from one another for Madara to recall seeing in Hashirama's random and rare letters over the years. To someone who knew what to look for, there was more than enough evidence to prove Tobirama put more thought into the village than Hashirama or Madara combined ever did.

"If we can't go to Tobirama for help," Shikamoto sighed, shoulders drooping slightly, "we need to look for assistance elsewhere. It's been proven that muddling our way through hasn't worked."

Choko and Inojiro both nodded, determination starting to bleed into their expressions. 

"Alright," the Akimichi declared, hefting herself upright and moving over to pull Madara to his feet. "Alright. Madara, you and Shikamoto return to the tower and go over that letter again. Inojiro and I will gather up the other clan heads and meet you there. We'll figure out a battle plan."

Madara looked between the three now-standing ninjas in front of him and felt the lingering feeling of doom begin to dissipate. He nodded, resolve starting to build, and shared a look with the Nara head before pivoting and heading back to where he left Hashirama holding the Daimyo's mandate. By the hells was he going to give up and let the Fire Lord take his dream from him without a fight.

He'd do whatever it took to save Konoha, even if that meant going against Hashirama to do it.

Chapter Text

Shikamoto followed Madara to the Hokage's office, a silent shadow that set his nerves twitching like it did whenever anyone was behind him. They crested the stairs and hesitated briefly at hearing Mito's raised voice behind the closed doors. The two men glanced at each other before the Uchiha rolled his shoulders and breached the village leader's sanctum.

"-get involved, Husband!"

In the brief moment before either of the occupants registered the two visitors, Madara took stock of how adversarial the tableau appeared. Mito stood tall, her face twisted in frustration. Her arms were rigid at her side, with ink-stained hands curled into tight fists. Hashirama stood by the window, his back to it as he faced his wife stubbornly. Interestingly, the Uchiha's first impression was that the Senju was using the desk as a shield. The couple startled at the intrusion and rapidly backpedaled, hiding what evidence of their argument they could. 

"Madara!" Hashirama called, a smile breaking out. "You're back! I was worried with how you just wandered out of here earlier."

"Yes," he said. Instinct told him to tread carefully for some reason, and Madara hadn't lived as long as he had by luck alone. "I apologize, Hashirama. I was... distressed. You understand."

Hashirama nodded understandingly, somehow coming off as not understanding at all. It made Mito narrow her eyes. Shikamoto took that as his cue to join the conversation and pull attention away from the Uchiha leader.

"That is why we're here actually, Lord Hokage," he said respectfully. "We'd like to begin work immediately."

"Work?" The Senju tilted his head questioningly. "What work? Did I miss a meeting or something? I'm sorry if I did! I've just been so busy with the Sarutobi clan wanting to join is all."

"The Daimyo's decree, Lord Hokage."

Hashirama laughed, relieved. "That! Ha. No, Shikamoto. It's fine. No need to give yourself extra work over that."

"No ne-" the Nara stopped, mouth flapping for a moment, genuinely flummoxed by the casual disregard about the legal notice from the Fire nation's lord. "My lord, I've been told we have six months to repair all faults, or the Daimyo will take administrative control. Is that not the case?"

"Oh, I see. No, no need to worry, Shikamoto. That's all easily fixed."

"Roads, plumbing, electricity, layout, growth schematics-" Mito cut in sharply, openly glaring at her husband now. "Those types of problems are not easily solved, Hashirama."

"Mito!" Hashirama pouted dramatically. "That's not the real problem! All we have to do is be more willing to come together and support one another. Once we do that, we'll be able to jury-rig something. I'm sure of it!"

"Hashirama..." Madara hesitated as the man in question turned his attention to him. "Hashirama, that's not... we can't just..."

The Nara cut in when he floundered. "What Uchiha-sama is trying to say is that the difficulties the village is having coming together stem from the issues identified by the investigator. Those problems must be addressed before the various clans can focus on cohesion. It is difficult to prioritize friendship when everyone is angry at flooded streets and darkened houses."

Madara sighed in relief and pointed to the man beside him. "That. What he said."

"But-" the Hokage began to sulk.

"I know you think all this is going to take is a really big bandaid," the Uchiha cut in, slowly gaining his footing as he spoke, "but jury-rigging a fix is not actually solving the problem. Hashirama, you know things are just getting worse. A week doesn't go by when the electricity isn't going down somewhere in the village, or someone is reporting plumbing issues. The Daimyo doesn't care how well we get along as long as we're not killing each other. He cares about if the village is still standing so we can complete his missions."

That made the man stop and think. The building theatrics stalled, and instead, Hashirama seemed to shrink a little as he seriously considered Madara's argument. It was a relief to the other three people in the room. For as long as they'd all known Hashirama to one degree or another, it had always been a struggle to get him to change his mind on handling something when he already made his mind up about it.

"If you really think that's best, Madara..." the village leader trailed off. 

"I do," he voiced, thankful for the relatively easy capitulation. "It is."

The Senju frowned unhappily but conceded with a slight nod. "Alright, let's figure out how to make the Daimyo happy."

A strangled sound escaped Mito at that, and she snatched the scroll from the desk and shook it at her husband. "This is not about making your Daimyo happy. This is about this village's survival."

"Mito-"

"How can you not get it? If this village fails, so does the treaty between the Senju and the Uzumaki. We don't have children, Hashirama. Our marriage will be null and void!"

Both Madara and Shikamoto inhaled sharply at that. Neither man had known that the treaty was still tied to the Senju clan and not transferred to the village. The Uzumaki were one of the reasons they were still standing as it was. They provided fish and salt to the village and a much-needed buffer with Water Country. If the treaty failed, Konoha would not only lose that protection, but they'd lose Mito as well.

"It won't come to that," Hashirama soothed his wife. "We'll get things sorted, and then we'll be able to forget all about this."

A snarl rippled across the woman's face, and she turned away from her husband. She began walking to the door, the two men blocking it stepping aside to allow her to pass. As she left the office, she whirled back around and pointed the document at Hashirama threateningly. 

"If you fuck this up, I'll leave." She gave an actual growl then, her voice dipping dangerously and her hair rising to rustle slightly without a hint of a breeze. "I'll go home, and Father will finally be able to send all the hunters we have after Tobirama."

"You wouldn't dare!"

 The Senju was suddenly livid, and wood began to warp around him at the threat. Whether it was about her leaving or her threatening his exiled little brother, they didn't know. However, the Uzumaki princess wasn't impressed, and she sneered at the man.

"After what you've done? The only thing that's stopped him till now is our alliance agreement. If you get in the way of us doing what's needed to fix your mess, I'll go after Tobi myself."

With that, she whirled around and stormed down the stairs. After a drawn-out beat, the clan head beside Madara decided discretion was the better part of valor. After a quick bow to the Hokage, he made a hasty exit and left Madara alone with the now-shocked man. Rattled at the unprecedented show of rage from the ordinarily even-tempered princess, the Uchiha was unsure of what to say.

"She wouldn't." 

The denial was shaky at best, and he examined Hashirama before responding.

"Wouldn't leave you or wouldn't hunt your brother down?" He didn't flinch at the dark look his friend sent him. "Hashirama, what has he done to warrant the Uzumaki going after him? As far as I know, he was on good terms with them. Didn't he help negotiate your marriage?"

"He... Tobi..." Hashirama sighed harshly and turned his attention to his desk. He began to restack the multitude of scrolls and papers littering the surface. "It's not... It's not what you think."

One dark eyebrow crept upwards at the nonanswer. "What I think is that Mito threatened to kill your brother if this village falls apart."

A harsh exhale ripped from the Senju. "They don't have a distinction between hunters and trackers."

He kept quiet as he considered that. His years of dealing with Hashirama's tangents helped him through the mental gymnastics needed to follow the man's train of thought. So, finally, when he believed he understood, Madara spoke up.

"You mean to tell me," he asked incredulously, "that the Uzumaki have wanted to offer Tobirama sanctuary this entire time? And that you disowning him prevented them from doing so? Because they're allied with your family."

Hashirama winced at the faint reproach in his tone. "It's not that simple."

"It kind of sounds like it is!"

"Don't pretend to understand, Madara!" Hashirama shouted, whirling around to face him with a darkening expression. His usual cheerfulness was gone. In its place was an almost-desperate grab for control, an unfamiliar hurt seemingly trying to surface in the other man. It made something in the Uchiha sit up and take notice, like a dog scenting blood.

"I'm not the one pretending, Hashirama." Madara flailed his hands in the air and then waved one at his friend. "You're the one that's been going about with his head in the sand. You're the one ignoring every single person telling you that this isn't working."

"It is working! We've been living together in peace for almost four years now."

"Argh!" Madara pulled at his hair. "This place started falling apart six months in. We don't have the expertise needed to implement half of what we have."

"It's not my fault the plans didn't work!"

"It IS your fault! It's your fault because you refused to follow them! It was all laid out, nice and neat, and you decided that they were too complicated and expensive. So we scaled it back. Nothing your brother designed was good enough. It was all too excessive, unnecessary. They would have worked if we'd actually followed them the way we were intended to do!"

"You don't know that," Hashirama snapped, arms crossed over his white robes. Long, large fingers gripped fabric, pulling it tight, as if trying to hug himself for comfort.

Madara inhaled harshly and forced himself to calm down. He looked away for a long moment before returning to the man across the room. When he spoke, he was tired and frustrated.

"No, I don't. You're right, things change," he admitted, seeming to please Hashirama until he continued. "But I do know that if you had listened to your brother's concerns like you should have, he would still be here to make sure those changes worked. I do know that between the two of us, we're not the ones who spent years planning this village from the ground up. Konoha has three founders, Hashirama. And the third has never stepped foot in it."

It was a low blow, he knew. The whole sorry mess around Tobirama's banishment was a jumbled shit-show now that people had more of the facts. The initial common belief had been that the albino had loathed the Uchiha so much that peace wasn't an option for him. However, with the identity of the village's architect exposed, the narrative shifted. Now, it seemed to be more about Hashirama's pride than anything else. At least, that's what most people thought. Madara wasn't too sure.

Madara turned to leave the office but stopped at the threshold before looking over his shoulder at the other man. Hashirama was staring at him, pale as the ghost his younger brother was rumored to be. There was no real pleasure in making him look so shaken, but Madara couldn't help but feel a tiny spark of bitter satisfaction all the same.

"I'm going to tell you this once, Hashirama. I'll do whatever I need to protect this village. This place is all that's standing between us and digging those tiny graves we hated. If you harm it... I won't forgive you."

With that, Madara left Hashirama behind in the office and went downstairs to where he could sense Mito and the clan heads gathering.

Chapter Text

Izuna observed him worryingly that night from across their dining room table. The elder of the two brothers had grabbed a bottle of alcohol and a cup as soon as he'd hit the door and plopped down to drown even a sliver of his woes away. It had been a significant break from usual since Madara wasn't someone to drink when morose. Instead, he preferred to imbibe at celebrations and nights at bars with friends and clan.

"What happened?"

Madara grumbled and poured another glass. "What do you know?"

His brother bit his bottom lip, eyeing the near-empty bottle. "The Daimyo's representative arrived with the results of the investigation. Shortly after, all the clan heads sequestered themselves away."

"Hn."

"Ah," Izuna said with a wince, knowing how bad it had to be to get that particular vocalization.

"The Daimyo is furious," the elder answered eventually. "Between the lines, he's pissed that he's dumped so much money into what's been classified as a sucking cesspool. However, he can't back out without making himself look like a fool to the other countries, so he's giving us another chance."

"That's... good."

A bitter and stressed laugh tore itself out of Madara, and he slugged back the last part of the bottle. "We have six months to show tangible evidence of improvement. Otherwise, he's taking the whole thing over."

Izuna hissed and stiffened. His older brother's sudden need to drink made much more sense. "Half a year? But that's nothing at all!"

"It's better than what we first thought," he asserted. "Initially, we thought it was a complete correction to all identified issues. There was absolutely no way of meeting that goal. This at least gives us a chance."

"Then, I guess, that's a lot more leniency than expected."

"Mito says the Daimyo probably wants a working village but doesn't want anything to do with the hassle of running it. As long as we provide the results he wants, he'd be fine letting us do whatever the hell we want. Well, we've fucked that up."

"So what are we going to do?"

That made Madara look up and stare at his brother. The attention made Izuna uneasy.

"What," he snapped.

"You said we," the elder of the two replied.

"So?" Izuna glared slightly and straightened up. "Look, I know I was against the whole concept of peace, but it's been years, Madara. I gave in when we drafted the ceasefire with the blasted Senju. I know I haven't been very vocally supportive, but I'm not going to sit back and let someone take our home from us because of some shitty plumbing."

Madara's face crumbled a bit at the roundabout reminder.

"What? What?!" His brother's expression shifted back to worried.

"Zuna... Zuna, I..." Madara swallowed.

"What!?"

"I threatened Hashirama," he admitted wretchedly.

Izuna laughed, relieved. "You do that every other day, idiot."

The snickers ended when Madara shook his head. "No, I mean... I threatened him."

"What..." The younger man breathed out in shock. "What the hell happened?"

Madara recounted the whole afternoon, from the court official arriving to the meeting with the Trinity clans and the confrontation in the Hokage's office. Izuna's eyes widened comically when he got to the part about Mito's blow-up. His subsequent argument with his childhood friend sparked a familiar outrage that constantly simmered in his brother whenever Hashirama was brought up.

"That asshole," he hissed. "It wasn't enough that he chucked his brother out? He had to make sure no one else could take him in either?"

"It gets worse," Madara lamented. "It turns out that no one in the village has the technical skills to actually fix the fucked up mess we've made of the infrastructure. Even if we went off the initial blueprints, which still wouldn't work completely. If we want any chance at meeting the deadline, we have to contract out. Which means not only finding people who can do it but paying them."

"Money we don't have," Izuna realized.

"The money I'm not all that worried about. The clan heads already discussed that. Most clans kept funds back in case construction fell through or for other emergencies. We think we'd have enough for a solid deposit if we pool that together. If we can convince them to take the remainder of the contract fees as installments..."

"Then it could work."

"If they agree, and if we have enough revenue to cover the Daimyo's installments and other loans and our operational costs and necessities."

"That's a lot of ifs, Madara."

Madara laughed again. "We don't have much of a choice, little brother. Not if we don't want to be chucked back to the old compound with our share of the total debt hanging over us for the next ten generations."

"Oh god." Izuna looked a little sick as the full scope of the repercussions of failure hit him. "That can't happen. Madara, we can't let that happen."

"I know!" he shouted. "It would be different if we could find Tobirama and get him to agree to return. Most of us who have any real idea of the scope of the work think that he'd be able to piece a workable solution together, but..."

"But no one's seen or heard from him since he left," the clan heir replied stiffly.

While still instinctively mistrustful of the white-haired ninja, all the talk and blood-letting from the Senju and various clans over the past year had greatly removed Izuna's hatred of the man. After all, it was hard to keep hating someone who planned out his big brother's dream village on the long shot it became a possibility. Also, apparently, he had a weakness for children and a hatred for bloodline thieves and child-hunting squads that bordered on insane. Turns out, based on stories from his own clan, the man saved the truly nightmare-inducing stuff for those fuckers.

Touka laughed at Izuna for days after little Kouka Senju told him all about how Lord Tobirama saved him from thieves. Tobirama ran the group down within fifteen minutes of nabbing the young Senju boy in a neutral village. This would typically not have been impressive, except that the white-haired maniac - Izuna's words - had been halfway across the country at the time, visiting the Inuzuka clan. He'd somehow sensed a disturbance in the force and used that fucking terrifying teleportation jutsu of his to land within a mile of the kidnappers (which meant that Tobirama had had that trick up his sleeve at least four months before using it on Izuna, which... had implications). Then, in under five minutes, he found the men and ripped all the blood out of the bastards' veins. Grinning, Kouka did his best to illustrate the fucking dragon Tobirama made out of the blood and then how it proceeded to eat them. Kouka quite enjoyed the spectacle. Izuna had to go home and lie down.

"Not verified sightings, at least," Madara answered, shaking himself from his musings.

"Seriously? You really think that stupid rumor about him in Earth is true?"

"Maybe!" Madara argued. "Anyway, what about the sightings in northern Fire and Lightning? The description fits."

"He's an albino. People who didn't know better mistook him for Hatake all the time. A lot of the Uchiha in our generation thought his mother had to be Hatake before that one wolf runner that had been wandering around corrected us."

"So?"

"Madara, that entire area is the Hatake stomping ground! There're dozens of them roaming that stretch throughout the year."

"Well, what about Wind. Huh? Who else has the ability to control water like that?"

Izuna looked at him like he couldn't believe how stupid his brother was being. "That person was said to be a minor deity and that they called forth an oasis from their tears. The Earth was so moved by their beauty and the sorrow they felt for the desert people that it refused to drain the water dry, no matter how thirsty it was.

"Look, I know you have that freakish crush on him for absolutely no good reason-"

"I do not!" Madara denied heatedly.

"For no good reason," his little brother plowed over him, "but the Ghost isn't anywhere near pretty enough to be mistaken for a lesser god. Also, even with all the weird shit he pulled, he couldn't create fucking full-blown oases from nothing!"

"He could; we don't know that! He apparently could make fucking blood dragons out of bloodline thieves! We didn't know that little tidbit."

Izuna's nose wrinkled up in disgust. "Eugh, gross. I don't want to listen to you gush about him. He's smart and pretty and deadly, I get it! I don't want to hear about it. You know how it distresses me."

Madara sat there looking at his brother in scandalized disgust. "I don't gush!"

"You do!" Izuna disputed. "Whenever someone brings the conversation around to the building plans or the various horror stories the Senju bust out about him. You get this stupidly excited, moony look on your face."

"I do not! You take that back!"

His brother stared at him flatly. "You moon, big brother. I'm actually embarrassed to know you when you get going. People are starting to wonder if you had a thing for him before the peace talks. They think that's why you hate the Senju elders so much. That they ruined your shot at wooing the asshole before you got the opportunity."

"I... what... no... I-" he felt his jaw flapping open and closed and snapped it shut with an indignant huff. "They do not."

"Ask Sasumi."

And Madara winced at that. Sasumi was the clan's best image-spinner. She listened to all the gossip and worked to change or redirect it if necessary. If she said she'd heard rumors about Madara's crush on Tobirama, complete and utter lies, then they must be circulating.

"But I don't," he continued to protest feebly.

Izuna's judging look changed to one of pity. "Big brother, you've been interested in anything about Tobirama since Touka blew up the village. Once you got a name to those stupid plans, you've been trying to learn as much about him as possible. Even before you knew who drafted them, you were complimenting him." He pressed his hands against his cheeks and continued on with an exaggerated falsetto and a wide-eyed, adoring expression. "'They're so smart! Not only can they build an electrical grid, but they understand how to balance clan techniques with the need for standardized training. Izuna, look at how detailed these taxation laws are! And the thought put into mission reports!!'"

"That's not how I talk. I never said any of that!"

Sharigan whirled to life as Izuna pointed at his eyes. "I was using these to run away from you! It's literally seared into my brain until I die."

"We're off topic!"

"Sure, change the topic when I'm winning the argument."

"Izuna!"

"Fine! Fine." Izuna threw his hands up and collapsed back in his seat. "If we can't find the bastard, what are we going to do?"

Madara sighed in relief and jumped at the change in conversation. "Mito is going to reach out to her father. The Whirlpool Lord may have an idea. If not, we'll need to try to request names from the Daimyo's ministers."

The younger Uchiha scoffed. "Oh, that'll go well. 'Hey, you know us? The ninja that built our village so shitty your boss wants us to fix it? Well, we need help. You got any people we can hire?' Yeah, that'll instill confidence in us."

"We're running out of options, Izuna!"

"I know," Izuna admitted. He ran his hands over his face, rubbing at his eyes as they deactivated. "I know there's not much we can do at this point. We're just going to have to be ready to look further than Whirlpool and the capital."

Chapter Text

Mito's father responded within a fortnight. The letter to his cherished daughter soared down in the talons of a Whirlpool Osprey. Ensconced in her study, she watched as the bird lit down to sit on the window sill she was beside. It had been a slow afternoon until then, with her pouring over Tobirama's blueprints for the thousandth time, hoping to find something to spark an idea. Nothing came to her. 

When the powerful and sleek bird landed, Mito admitted feeling her heart leap into her throat. She knew there was a good chance her father would refuse to help. The letter could be a thinly veiled order to return home and leave the Senju to suffer their failures. However, her father loved her and wanted her happy, and, despite the past several years, she had been happy with Hashirama.

And with Tobi.

The thought of her sibling-in-law made her blink back tears, like always whenever he came to mind. She sorely missed the younger man who had been a lifeline when she'd agreed to marry into the Senju clan. While Hashirama was her husband and had her duty and loyalty, Tobirama had her affection. He was the little brother she never had and never knew she wanted. He'd been kind, in his own restrained way, and thoughtful. And so smart. His natural gift for sealing was one of the only things comforting her those first few months away from Whirlpool. Sitting with him and discussing seal work and theory eased the homesickness enough to keep moving forward. He had been the one to convince her to give Hashirama a chance. After all, while she'd known the older boy since they were small children, she'd never interacted with him in great depth until she was installed in the Senju compound for the wedding ceremony.

The only possible good thing that could come from Konoha collapsing was Whirlpool's ability to claim Tobirama officially for its own.

Oh, she knew well enough from her father's letters that he'd visited them in the years since he fled the Senju compound. Nothing blatant. Her father was too careful to give any written evidence of Whirlpool breaking faith with the Senju. However, it was in the spaces between the words, the avoidance of names when describing a particularly talented ninja and their carefully selected exploits. Mito knew that her father was holding back a great deal more from her than what he was sharing, but she wasn't offended. She knew her loyalties were torn, and Tobirama's well-being was more important than knowing what he'd been getting up to for the past half-decade.

So, while she didn't know for certain and had no verification, Mito was fairly sure that Tobi visited her homeland with some frequency. Based on her father's not-words, he was in good health and untroubled for the most part, beyond the normal annoyances. Also, a true surprise that was as happy as it was sad, Father made no secret that Tobirama had outgrown the mold he'd been forced into growing up as the Senju's spare heir.

Tobi seemed to flourish now that he wasn't chained down in his brother's shadow. Without the expectations and uncompromising obligation to his clan breaking his back from the weight, he was free to fly. And, by her father's recountings, Tobi seemed to be soaring. She was glad for him, of course she was, but it saddened her that she may never see him again as long as she remained in Konoha and he traveled the world.

The bird cawed, starling her from her thoughts, and she smiled at it before moving to relieve it of its burden. She ran a finger over its head and back, trying to feel the salt and cool breeze of her home that she knew wasn't there. With a sigh, she pat the bird one last time and watched the Osprey depart. She observed as it climbed and banked in the wind before it caught a draft that took it further and further away. Mito stood there at the window until it was no more than a speck, and then until it was gone completely.

Finally, she looked down at the small parchment rolled up and tied with a blue thread. A small seal was stamped on it, a powerful little piece of work that prevented anyone but the intended recipient from opening it. She knew that there would be more inside, concealed carefully to ensure no one but she could read the contents. From there, she'd be able to trigger the storage seal where her father's letter would be stored. Maybe, depending on how things were at the time he wrote it, he'd even include special treats that she'd never be able to get anywhere but her true home.

Mito ran her fingers over the little slip of paper, missing her father and mother and siblings. She missed her family and clan, missed her home. Most of all, she missed her little white-haired trouble-making brother. Hopefully, her father would continue to be forgiving and have an idea or two that would prevent her from losing her second home and her husband. 

The seal broke as intended and she quickly scanned the short note inside before activating the storage seal buried within the text. Her father's letter popped out, along with a small box. Her eyes widened when she got a decent look at that, the entire thing crawling in seals that kept it shrunk and protected from prying eyes. She'd seen such a thing only a handful of times before when even a mass storage scroll wasn't enough to house what needed to be sent. 

Knowing that an explanation for the box would be included in the letter, Mito settled back at her desk and activated the mark that would open the scroll for her to read. Unlike usual, though, there was extra security. She couldn't read the contents if others were with her or spying. Anyone she wanted to share the letter with would have to be keyed into the seals. Furthermore, even keyed in, large swaths of confidential text would alter itself to appear more mundane for anyone but her. The letter was also different in its length. Typically, her father wrote her a couple of pages. This one was closing in on nearly a dozen.

After what had to be a half-hour, she sat back, stunned. As Mito ran her mind back over what she'd been told, a small smile broke out without her noticing. She committed the crucial things to memory and then picked up the letter and the box from the desk and locked them away in her safe, sealed against anyone but her and, in case of catastrophe, Tobirama.

Then, she gathered her skirts and made her way out of the house and towards the tower where she knew Madara would be. While she was fond of Hashirama, she wasn't a fool. She knew that if Konoha was to survive, the Uchiha leader would spearhead the effort. Her husband had always struggled to see the shoal for the fish.

She wasn't going to leave her marriage to a fickle man and chance.

Chapter Text

"We may have a solution."

Madara looked up at Mito as she swept into his office. The Uchiha noticed that she was wearing plainer clothes than usual and had fresh stains on her fingers, both indicators that she had been at home before coming there. Whatever prompted her to leave must have been important if she didn't take the time to clean up and dress to her usual standard as a Whirlpool princess.

"A solution?" he asked, momentarily confused, until he remembered that the Uzumaki lady was waiting for a reply from her father, the Whirlpool lord.

The redhead hummed and sat down in a chair opposite his desk. Graceful hands shifted her dress before coming to rest over one another. The sealing paper in her buns rippled and stilled once she did. Her dark eyes sparkled with something Madara wanted to classify as good cheer, severely lacking in the village's administration over the past few weeks.

"Yes, Father's response arrived this afternoon. He was willing to provide the name of someone who could possibly help."

"But not for sure," he confirmed.

Mito shook her head slightly. "No. Father says that the man is extremely busy and in high demand. He's never been interested in long-term jobs because of that."

"But Lord Uzumaki believes this person would be open to the idea?"

"Father seems to think he'd at least consider it before politely turning us down."

"Hn." Madara sat back and drummed his fingers on the desktop. "Who is it?"

"That is where it is interesting," Mito started. "Father only provided his title, the Ishaan."

He scoured his memories for the name but came up blank. "I haven't heard of him. Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Apparently, most of his work is confidential and for various high-profile individuals. His name is kept from documentation out of both caution and respect."

"Respect?"

It was rare for someone to successfully operate above board anonymously, especially if they were in high demand and worked with multiple people. Madara thought it would only work if he never met his clients. However, that didn't seem to be the case here. It surprised him then since that meant this man had to be well-respected enough for every single one of his clients to keep their mouths shut.

"Hm," Mito bobbed her head again. "In his letter, Father made it clear that the Ishaan was a powerful man, backed by many other powerful men. Through those connections, he's forged a unique business for himself. His clients have problems, and he brings solutions."

"And how does your father know him?"

Dark eyes studied him briefly, shrewd and cutting, before the princess looked down at her lap. Breaking from her usual composure, she clenched her hands and pursed her lips. 

"Part of the main reason for the alliance with the Senju was for Whirlpool to have military support against Water country. We've always had an antagonistic relationship with them." She paused there, measuring her words. "However, it's gotten worse in the past twenty years. That's why Father agreed to the marriage when he did. Normally, I would not have married Hashirama until I was at least twenty."

Madara sucked in a breath. He knew that Water liked to try their hand at encroaching on Whirlpool's territory occasionally, but the degree that Mito had just alluded to completely escaped his family's spy network. For the Whirlpool lord to break tradition and marry his daughter off years before she was expected to...

"What happened?" he asked her, sitting forward. "Is Whirlpool alright? Do they need help?"

She smiled at him, grateful for his concern. "They're alright. Father contracted the Ishaan's services. He says the Ishaan traveled to Water, spent two weeks there, and discovered the underlying cause. A rogue faction in the Water Daimyo's court was falsifying court documents to lay the groundwork for an attack on Whirlpool. The Ishaan worked with the Water Daimyo to expose them and undermine further attempts in the near future."

"Wow," he breathed. 

There was a huff of vague laughter from his guest. "Yes. I was not pleased to learn of Whirlpool's difficulties after the fact. Father didn't want to worry me without due cause."

"But they're safe?"

"Father says so, and I believe him."

"So this Ishaan, he's worked with Whirlpool and Water?"

She nodded. "And most likely the other major countries as well. Fire for sure."

Madara tilted his head. "Why do you think that?"

"Because he is the one we must petition to request the Ishaan's services. He is the only one within Fire who directly interacts with the man and can petition him on our behalf."

"Mito, the Daimyo is the one who put us in this situation. What makes you think he wouldn't laugh us out of the room and shut us down immediately?"

"We must try, Madara," she argued. "We have five months to make enough progress to please the Fire Lord. Do you think we can find someone else in that time who is capable? Hm?"

The Uchiha sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "No, no, I don't." He stared at Mito for a second before heaving himself upright. "Alright, let's get the clan heads together. You can present what information you have, and then we can start drafting a letter to the Daimyo. Hopefully, we can make ourselves sound pitiful enough he takes mercy."

"That's the spirit," she cheered sarcastically.

Chapter Text

None of the clan heads were happy about requesting the services of an unknown party and having to go through the Fire Daimyo to do it. In addition to the likely possibility of the man spying for another country, there was a significant risk of sabotage. If he agreed, this person would be responsible for rebuilding their infrastructure. There would be no limiting access to nonessentials since everything that needed correction made up the core of the village's operations. It was a gamble that Konoha would normally never even consider taking.

"This isn't up for debate," Madara barked after twenty minutes of arguing. He braced his hands on the tabletop and stood. Black hair rustled about his face as he shook his head to quiet the Hyuuga clan leader before he could interrupt. "No, Whirlpool all but agreed that we're out of our depth. Lord Uzumaki indicated to Mito that this is our only feasible option and that we need to take it if we want to maintain ties with them."

Choko turned her attention to the Uzumaki princess sitting beside Madara for the entire conversation. "Mito, how likely is it for Whirlpool to withdraw support?"

The redhead met the other woman's gaze evenly. "At this point, it is a matter of when, Lady Akimichi, not if. Father made it clear that he is displeased. The Senju haven't been holding up their end of the agreement. If Konoha is officially labeled defective, Father will declare the marriage contract null and void. I will be recalled to Whirlpool immediately."

That caused a flurry of shocked whispers, and many glanced at Touka to measure her reaction to the veiled threat. It disappointed them then that the Senju woman was nodding along with her cousin-in-law.

"Mito is correct," Touka agreed. "We've been stretched too thin in the village to be able to set aside dedicated fighters if Whirlpool calls for aid. Three-fourths of all fighting-fit Senju are assigned critical duties that bind them to the village. On top of that, we're drawing more resources from Whirlpool than we can repay. The alliance was made to be a steady two-way agreement, but right now, it's a growing debt on our end."

"Father is going against his main advisors in offering us this potential solution," Mito followed. "They are growing tired of sending resources to Konoha with nothing in return. Also..."

She hesitated, and Madara knew it was his turn to chime in with the prediscussed bombshell.

"If Konoha fails, the alliance with the Senju is broken. Which means that they are free to negotiate with different parties."

Shikamoto's sharp gaze met his shrewdly, clearly remembering Mito's outburst when the Daimyo's determination arrived. "You are referring to Tobirama."

Madara nodded, causing the room to go quiet. "Whirlpool has yet to offer him sanctuary due to the alliance. However, the island clans are chomping at the bit to do so. Apparently, he's worth more to them than this village is as it is now."

"One man, more valuable than an alliance with an entire ninja village?" Hyuuga scoffed.

Mito scowled at him, her hair shifting subtly with displeasure that shut the man up. "Tobirama is one of the most powerful sensors and water users in this generation, in the past four generations. He can turn waves and determine bloodlines. Beyond that, his sealing ability is on par with Uzumaki masters. Some things he's achieved even rival them since he wasn't raised with the same limitations we ingrain in our children."

She raised an eyebrow at Haruko. "Why would Whirlpool ignore someone who is, for all intent and purpose, one of our own simply born outside our borders?"

"So his advisors want Lord Uzumaki to break ties with the Senju so they can legally approach Tobirama. What has your father refusing them?" Yamanaka asked before the Hyuuga could retort.

Dark eyes turned to meet the man's. "I do not want to lose my husband and new home. I am happy, and my father prioritizes that above bolstering his ranks with a much-needed powerful water user. However, he cannot continue to ignore the voices of reason. If the Senju cannot provide the military support we need to defend our borders against Water, we must look elsewhere. Tobirama would be a sufficient emergency stopgap while we look for new allies."

"So this is Lord Uzumaki's last act of support. If we ignore it, he breaks with the Senju and looks for alliances elsewhere. If we take his advice and still fail, he breaks with us anyway. If we succeed?"

"Then Father is willing to renegotiate the alliance with the village as a whole and not simply the Senju clan."

"We don't have a choice," Shimiji announced. She looked around the room. "Regardless of our concerns about this Ishaan person, we have to take the chance. It sounds like this is the only viable option we're going to get."

"But how likely is it to work?" Yamanaka pressed. "We'd have to petition the Fire Daimyo to solicit assistance on our behalf. Is he really going to want to do that with how angry he is right now?"

The Nara head turned to his friend. "The Fire Lord is reasonable. We simply have to prove to him we are genuine in our appeal for aid. The fact that we'll be asking for outside assistance with a predetermined compensation offer should show sincerity on our part."

"But-"

"No," Madara cut in. Everyone turned their attention to him. "No more 'buts' or 'what ifs'. There is no other option. We have to throw ourselves at the Daimyo's mercy. If we don't, we fail. I've given up too much of my life fighting to go back to it. I've spent too much of my people's resources and goodwill building this village for it to fall apart."

He looked around the room and made eye contact with each person. "He's the only one who can petition the Ishaan. I will get on my knees and beg if that's what it takes to get that man's help."

"You won't be alone if that happens."

Hashirama, missing from the discussion until then, stood in the doorway. He had somehow gone unnoticed, unusual for a man who couldn't be in a room for five minutes without drawing attention to himself. Going off his serious expression, the Hokage had been standing there long enough to hear how dire the situation was. The glance he shot his wife only underscored that. He stepped into the meeting space and walked over to stand in between Mito and Madara.

"This is because of me," he said. Hashirama met Touka's resentful stare. "I was so blinded by my own dreams that I failed to take into account reality."

Madara's heart jumped a beat when his childhood friend turned his attention to him. "If it comes down to it, I will accept any responsibility for this village's failures. If the Daimyo requires us to beg, I will be the first to prostrate myself."

He turned to look at Mito. "Please thank Lord Uzumaki for his continued generosity and tell him we will follow his wise guidance. Also, to show my good faith, let him know there would be no ill will if he sent out his hunters."

Mito's eyes widened, and Touka jumped up from her seat.

"Husband-"

"What the hell are you-"

The two women spoke over each other, both equally shocked but for different reasons. However, before either could finish questioning him, Hashirama held up a hand toward his cousin. It stopped Touka's shouting before it even began.

"However... also inform him that his offer will not be the only one." Hashirama stared Touka down with a strained look. "It's clear that the village feels it's missing a vital member. If we're making changes, then perhaps it's the best time to correct that issue as well."

Though it was everything Madara had been hoping to hear from his friend, it rang hollow to the Uchiha in some way. The words and tone were honest, but something about it just didn't sit right. If it had been Shikamoto or Mito, Izuna even, he'd instinctively peg it as capitulation. He'd been in enough arguments with his brother to know when Izuna was making it appear as if he was agreeing when, in reality, he thought it was too much effort to keep arguing.

'The village feels'... not 'we are'.

That was what struck him. Hashirama hadn't technically agreed that Tobirama was vital and that he was missed. He was acknowledging what everyone else had been saying for months. Izuna would do the same thing when he felt he was right and Madara was wrong. He'd give Madara enough rope to hang himself and then wait until he could say, 'I told you so.'

"How gracious of you," Touka spat. Clearly, she picked up on the same thing he had. "Still, I don't care why you changed your mind. I'm not giving you a chance to back out."

She leaned forward on the table's surface and then bowed her head slightly as she acknowledged the other family leaders.

"Honored clans, as leader of the Senju, I have a repatriation notice for my cousin. I am requesting that you provide a copy of it to each member of your clan who leaves the village, in case they run across him. Will you assist my family in this?"

Madara sucked in a breath. Repatriations were very rare. It was almost unheard of for a clan to want a banished member back. While going through the effort to undo an expulsion wasn't necessarily difficult, it was an admission that the punishment was excessive or, even worse, undeserved. It was the equivalent of smearing your face with your own feces. Hardly anyone would be willing to damage their reputations voluntarily for an off chance of getting a single member back.

And that's what it was. Repatriations were voluntary. If a clan disowns someone, that person is under no legal requirement to return. Reinstatements for wrongful banishments always favored the injured party. Being removed from the family was traumatic enough when it wasn't merited, but being forced to rejoin it and face their abusers every day for the rest of their lives? Having to live with and rely on the people who turned their back on you without any choice except to pretend it never happened? Life was difficult and unfair in many ways, but the ninja clans weren't so hard-hearted to heap further abuse on someone they willfully wronged.

The fact that Touka Senju was willing to risk the very likely rejection and social slap to the face showed just how much Tobirama meant to her. That she hadn't hesitated meant she'd contemplated this for some time. Madara would like to think he'd be as brave as she was if the situation was reversed. He'd also like to think that he'd made a positive enough impact for his friends to support him in trying to find a beloved family member. That thought made him straighten his spine and nod his acceptance.

"The Uchiha clan will gladly aid the Senju in this," he intoned gravely.

Madara saw some tension leave Touka's frame when he spoke up. She knew as well as he did that his clan would be the biggest hurdle to overcome. With Madara making it clear that he had no issue bringing Tobirama home to Konoha, the other clans did not need to fear repercussions for assisting the Senju. They also couldn't use him as an excuse not to help. Madara was essentially declaring that the Uchiha would welcome and embrace their once greatest enemy. If that didn't make it clear they needed the White Ghost, nothing would.

"So will the Inuzuka," Shimiji seconded.

That was all it took for the other clan leaders to offer their support. The Hyuuga were the last to agree, but Haruko didn't hesitate when it came around to him. It was clear he wasn't pleased, but everyone knew the Hyuuga had some long-standing grudge against the albino. Konoha didn't need the Hyuuga to be happy about it, but they did need them to be willing to dance to the same drum.

Once Touka sat back down, Shikamoto brought the conversation back around to the initial topic. "So we're sending a request to the Daimyo then?"

"Yes," Hashirama nodded, obviously relieved to move past Touka's decree. "Draft something appropriate and run it by Mito and Madara. Once it's approved, I'll send it to the capital. How long do you think it will take to hear back?"

The Nara tilted his head and see-sawed his hand. "It depends on the Daimyo's mood when he reads it. Honestly, it could be anywhere from a week to four. If he wants to make us sweat, he'll wait. If he's receptive to the idea, I imagine he'd respond back almost immediately."

The hokage frowned but didn't push the subject. Instead, he motioned to Madara. "Well, while we're waiting, Madara will take point on the initial project planning."

"I will?" Madara asked, taken aback momentarily before he recovered. "I mean, yes, I will. I'll be requesting several of you to assist in organizing things so we can get a clearer picture of the full scope of what we're dealing with."

Hashirama nodded and then waved a hand upwards. "I'll be in my office if anyone needs anything. Just let me know."

With that, he virtually fled the room. A couple of clan heads, outside Touka of course, scowled at his retreating figure but quickly turned back to the room at large. Now that they had a clear objective, the group was easier to wrangle. Soon, only a handful of people remained behind to work on the letter. The rest left to spread the word about the impending request to the Daimyo and stir up gossip in the streets.

When he was done for the day and returned home, he'd have a nice long chat with Izuna. While his brother had made leaps and bounds about accepting the fact that Tobirama wasn't, in fact, the devil incarnate, there were still hangups lurking under the surface. In order for the Uchiha clan to accept the possibility of openly aiding their former enemy, both brothers needed to present a united front. They'd get nowhere if Izuna threw up roadblocks because he was blindsided.

Additionally, he'd need Izuna to dispatch several discreet intelligence specialists. Yes, they needed this Ishaan's help, but Madara was a shinobi. A good shinobi always did their reconnaissance on allies and threats alike. Regardless of his lauded discretion, someone willing to talk had to know something about the man. No one shook as many hands as he did without getting dirty. If they happened to find leverage to ensure Konoha got the better end of the deal?

Well, that was what being a good shinobi was all about.

Chapter Text

The Daimyo split the difference. Two and a half weeks later, he replied with a bombastic 'I'll ask, but no guarantees' that made Madara tug at his hair erratically until Izuna threatened to shave it off. Shikomoto and Mito found the lack of substance encouraging, though.

"It's not an outright refusal," Mito pointed out, gesturing at the document where it sat on Madara's desk.

Shikamoto nodded, turning the letter slightly with a finger to examine the calligraphy more closely. "He's also not making grand promises that would fall through eventually."

"But time is running out," the Uchiha complained. "We've already lost a month finding someone to help. And now we're probably going to lose another month waiting on the Daimyo."

"We can only be patient, Madara." Mito patted his hand consolingly. "It's out of our hands at this point."

"Besides, that gives our spies more time to discover what they can about the Ishaan." Madara quirked an eyebrow at the shadow master, and Shikamoto smiled dashingly. "What? You think I don't know about several Uchiha slipping out of the village shortly after meeting with your brother? I sent a few of my clan members to gather information as well. So did Choko and Inojiro."

"Smart," Madara agreed. “Have you found anything yet?”

“Just a handful of conflicting stories. You?”

“Not much. There’s evidence of him possibly operating under another name, but it hasn’t been substantiated.”

He turned to Mito. "Do you know if Touka sent anyone out?"

The Uzumaki princess raised a thin, elegant eyebrow at the two men in amusement. "You do recall that it was my father who brought this man to our attention, yes? Father trusts the Ishaan, so the Senju must as well."

"It's still wise to have as much of an edge as we can going into this," the Nara argued. "Even if we can't openly press any advantage we have, any knowledge is better than none."

"Again," Mito drawled, flicking her fan open with a quick 'clack' and fanning herself idly with it, "my father trusts him. So much so that he offered him my sister's hand in marriage."

Both men's eyes widened at that little nugget. Madara's mouth momentarily gaped before he gathered his wits. "You didn't mention that!"

"Hm," she said mischievously, eyes glinting over the fan. "When that didn't work, he then offered my second brother."

Shikamoto began choking on air, his eyes massive as he stared at the woman before him. "You're joking!"

"No," Mito denied. She closed her fan. "Father was quite disappointed. It sounds like Soji was as well."

"Soji is..."

"My brother."

Both men just stared.

Chapter Text

Madara was sitting down for a late lunch in an out-of-the-way restaurant when Touka found him. She was in mission blacks, dirty from the road, and her hair was still tied up in the fashion she favored when on duty. Her lips were painted like always, but her nails were bare. Overall, it was clear that she had just returned from a job outside the village.

Madara eyed her warily.

While not openly hostile, the woman was no fan of his. She toed the line and played nice with the Uchihas but went no further personally. He knew it was partly due to the lingering war mentality, which was hard to put aside when there was more bloodshed than peace in their history. However, most of it was the bitterness of her cousin fleeing his family home out of self-preservation. Even though Madara wasn't the instigator, he understood Touka viewed him as the symbol of that injustice. After all, he was the one her elders chose to enslave her brother to.

Also, the notion was there in Madara's mind that Touka was more upset about being left behind than Tobirama running away.

"Yes?" He eyed her over his tea as she plopped down on the other side of the table.

Touka snagged the second unused cup and filled it before she rested her elbow on the table and casually slouched. "I hate Hashirama," she said without preamble.

"I know," he drawled, unsure of why she had sought him out.

"No-" Touka waved the cup slightly. "I mean it. I hate him."

Madara opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it. Instead, he considered her declaration for a long moment and then nodded. The Senju woman did seem to truly hate her cousin. She made it clear that day in the bar seventeen months ago and every opportunity that she could since. Touka was highly adept at walking the fine line between insubordination and obedience with Hashirama. Sometimes, Madara pondered who had taught her how to do it.

The woman's expression twisted momentarily into an ugly mask before smoothing out, and she focused on Madara again. "But I think I need to clear something up with you."

He remained quiet but tipped his head, encouraging her to continue.

"I don't hate you. Or your brother." She scowled a little, seeming to be uncomfortable more than angry. "I know you had no part in what happened. You're not... cruel like that. My clan knows that as well."

"You don't like me, though," Madara pointed out.

Touka let out an annoyed sigh. "I'm pushing 25, Uchiha. We've been enemies for four-fifths of my entire life. I've always been one of the front liners, seeing the worst of your clan so that others in my family wouldn't. It's a work in progress. You're blessed that my first instinct now is to rip Izuna's hair out instead of gutting him."

That garnered a shocked laugh out of the Uchiha before he smothered it with the rim of his glass.

"How forgiving of you," he drawled.

She studied him for a few seconds, sipping at her tea before she set the cup down and leaned forward slightly. A fingernail tapped the tabletop between them, and the recess where they were situated cast a shadow across her face. Her voice was pitched low, making it difficult for anyone beyond their space to catch. Something Madara was glad of when Touka continued.

"I'd kill Hashirama if I could." She watched him react, her body still as a viper and eyes hard in the shadows. When Madara froze, Touka smiled nastily and leaned back in her seat. "But my love for one cousin stills my loathing for the other."

The restaurant wasn't all that busy. The time of day and location made it unpopular. A few tables were filled, but nothing nearby, and no other ninja were present. Even so, he quickly glanced around as he hissed at the woman.

"You can't say things like that, Touka! Hashirama is the Hokage. Threatening him is a death sentence."

"Let me ask you something." Touka extended the hand with the cup and pointed her finger at him. "Why do you think Hashirama is Hokage?"

"Because the village wanted him to be?!"

Red lips stretched into a caricature of a grin. "He's Hokage because he won. There's a difference, Uchiha."

Madara frowned at her, not sure where she was going with this.

"Hashirama won because enough people voted for him. It's a numbers game. The contest was split between several candidates. The votes weren't there for him to win."

"But he did," he pointed out slowly, as if she needed a reminder of how math worked.

Touka's grin widened. "Because the Senju voted for him."

"I assumed," he drawled.

"Why, though?" She sipped at her tea. "Why would we vote for him? You know my clan's feelings by now."

A chill washed down Madara's spine. Touka could tell when he understood because the slash of red softened into a smirk. She refilled her glass to give him a moment to gather himself and then tilted her head. After a full minute of silence, the Uchiha realized she was waiting for him to speak.

His mouth felt dry, and he had to lick his lips before speaking. "You... you fixed it?"

"Hm." The Senju leader smiled in pleasure. "That insinuates we cheated, Lord Uchiha. We simply lined up and cast our votes to elect our clan head into the Hokage office."

"Which freed up the clan head position for you to take," he accused.

"That's how clans work. The top position is empty, and the next in line steps up into it."

"You've been biding your time from the beginning." While he knew that Touka had to have planned some things, the fact that she weighted the election results was horrifying.

The woman took a sip of her drink. "Hashirama made an impact as clan head. We felt it best for him to do the same as village leader."

"Who is 'we', Touka? How far did this scheme of yours go?"

"All the way," the woman across from him answered brazenly. "Every member of my clan with a solid voice sang the same song. Hashirama was not meant to spend his life as clan head."

Clever, Madara thought—clever wordplay to disguise deceit.

"So Hashirama is made Hokage and forfeits his rights to the clan leadership. You step into that role to, what? Undermine the village? Force us back to how we were?"

Touka jerked upright, her expression warping into the face Madara remembered from that day in the bar. It was hideous and raging. Her eyes snapped and, if Madara hadn't known better, looked to be spitting fire.

"He didn't deserve to be head!" It was hissed and heavy with contempt. "He only made it as long as he did because of Tobi. Tobi gave up almost everything that mattered to him to protect Hashirama. And how does that bastard repay him? He betrays him!"

"Touka-"

"No, Madara." His given name startled him into silence. Touka pressed the advantage his momentary lapse provided and continued. "You weren't there. You may have been friends with the asshole, but you didn't grow up with him, with us. Their father favored Tobi, and Hashi couldn't stand that his little brother preferred a war-monger as a role model. It never occurred to him that Tobi never had a choice. One of them needed to be the proper heir, and it certainly wouldn't be Hashirama with his head in the trees."

Touka breathed and sat back, forcing herself to calm down. "Tobi took the lectures and the beatings that Hashirama earned because of his stubbornness and refusal to bend. Hashirama daydreamed, and Tobirama was ground into the dirt. Butsuma knew before Tobi ran his first solo mission that he'd be the actual power in the clan. Hashirama was older and the heir by default, but he wasn't what a clan head needed to be. Butsuma was a cruel, mean fuck, but he did his best to ensure Tobi would survive Hashirama's naivete because Tobi was clearly the clan's best chance for surviving."

"Why tell me this?" Madara asked her, once again unmoored by the horrifying stories of the Senju children's upbringing.

"Because you don't understand," she explained. "You don't understand why I hate him the way I do. Why I've done what I've done."

"Then explain," he practically begged her. "Make me understand."

"Tobi is four years younger than Hashirama. Did you know that?"

That was news to Madara. As far as he knew, he was the same age as Izuna, a year younger at most. Tajima had assumed Butsuma kept his second son a secret to increase the likelihood of the boy's survival past infancy. Assassinations of clan heirs weren't unheard of. On top of that, albinos were notoriously sickly. Tobirama's condition also explained why he was shorter and slighter than all the other fighters his supposed age.

But if that wasn't the case, that meant Izuna had fought a six-year-old the first time Tobirama took the field. His brother had been trying to murder a boy three years his junior for over a decade. He'd been competing against someone so much younger and losing if the stories about Tobirama's abilities were true. That also meant that the Senju heir had been eighteen when he spared Madara's brother.

Tobirama would have only been eighteen when the ceasefire was negotiated. Eighteen, and his big brother had no problem with marrying him off. Eighteen, not even truly an adult when he'd fled to escape a marriage to the last person in the world he could trust to treat him with kindness and dignity.

Madara felt sick to his stomach at the implications.

"Now you're getting it," Touka said, suddenly sounding tired.

"How could Hashirama do that?" It was only a thin band of hope he clung to at that point. Hope that his friend was unobservant instead of callous. Hope that he hadn't been so wrong about the boy he'd met at the Naka all those years ago.

The Senju sighed and focused on her cup. "He and Tobi never really got back to where they were before the river. When Izuna brought your father, there wasn't any other choice but to tell Butsuma. Hashirama felt betrayed. You were his first real friend, and, to him, Tobi ruined it because he was jealous or too wrapped up in Butsuma's teachings or... or something. To Hashirama, Butsuma was evil, and siding with their father meant Tobirama condoned the man's actions and opinions."

She met his gaze then. "They just never saw eye to eye. Butsuma decided to focus almost entirely on Tobi, and Hashirama took that as a sign that Tobi was a lost cause. It didn't help that Tobirama is a petty little shit. He was angry at Hashirama for keeping secrets, so he decided to withhold information from Hashirama in return. That just seemed to prove to Hashirama that Tobi couldn't be completely trusted. It was all just a mess, Madara."

They lapsed into silence and finished the tea. Then, Madara paid the tab and motioned for the woman to accompany him out. With Touka at his side, an odd mixture of sore and morose, he casually strolled through the streets until they wound their way to one of the few public training grounds Konoha had. Luck was on their side as they appeared to be alone. To be sure, Madara unraveled his chakra and pinged the area to sense anyone lurking nearby. When he was sure they were unobserved, he withdrew his chakra and turned to the Senju.

"What is your goal, Touka? You know how invested in the village I am. You wouldn't have approached me if you were intent on destroying it."

His disinclination to think the worst of her seemed to settle something in Touka, and her posture eased. Until then, the Uchiha leader hadn't paid much attention to the swordswoman, and he regretted it now. It was evident that Touka was struggling. He couldn't blame her.

Her brother was gone; he had abandoned her and hadn't tried to reach out to her since. On top of that, she had to wrestle with her burning fury with Hashirama. They dumped the position of heir on her without any of the training for it, and she was left to fumble her way through. All the while, the clan was grieving. The heir had to support them through that and also needed to pick up the slack of ensuring it would survive their leader's inattention.

The Uchiha were structured so that there were more people in administrative roles. While there were elders, and Madara and Izuna were head and heir, they had several other members to take on various responsibilities so the two strongest fighters weren't chained to a desk. Retired and upper-level clansmen served as secretaries and assistants, handling day-to-day operations and standard communications and requests. It was a system that worked well, affording Madara and Izuna time to be out in the village.

That additional level of cushion didn't exist in the Senju clan. There were the clan head, heir, and elders, and that was it. Everything went through the heir first, who would disseminate information to the head and elders as needed. The heir was expected to be the primary point of contact for all complaints and problems from anyone in the clan. That was a massive amount of work, and Touka had been shouldering it all since the ceasefire. Even after becoming the head, the woman beside him had kept that work because the clan hadn't named a new heir.

"Do you even know what you want?" he asked her.

Touka sighed harshly and pulled at the band holding her hair back. Brown locks fell in a cascade when the leather strip loosened, and she shook her head to knock the rest of it loose around her shoulders.

"Hashirama couldn't remain as clan head." It was stated as a plain fact. "Even barring the crime he committed against his brother, he wasn't shouldering the work he should have been. After pushing so much of it off onto Tobirama for so long, he simply refused to take it back when I asked him to."

"But why would Tobirama put up with that? From what I hear, he wasn't the type to suffer fools."

That garnered a genuine laugh from the woman, and it lit up her face, making Touka shine for just a second.

"No, no, he didn't," she chuckled before sobering. "But Tobi was trained to respect the hierarchy and obey. Butsuma never hid the fact he didn't think much of Hashirama. He didn't think Hashirama would dedicate himself to us the way we needed. So, he made it clear to Tobi that his ultimate responsibility was to the clan. If that meant shutting up when Hashirama didn't want to argue with him and taking on the work he was better suited to anyway? Well, Tobi would do it because it was in the clan's best interest."

Madara sighed harshly, ran a hand through his hair, and turned away. "I just don't know where things went so wrong. Hashirama has always seemed so... so honest."

"He is," Touka said. It made Madara turn back to her with an eyebrow raised in incredulous surprise. The woman smiled at him sarcastically. "He is honest. It's just... Look, there's a side to every story, right? Hashirama is just telling things from his side. He comes off as honest because he's telling you the truth from his perspective. It just bites him in the ass later when people realize he's not focusing on anything except his truth."

Which made a great deal of sense if he thought about things that way. Didn't it often take effort to follow the other man's train of thought? It was certainly frustrating when meetings dragged on because of misunderstandings. Those only cleared up once people took the time to explain, sometimes in great detail, their reasoning. In those moments, Hashirama looked like a proverbial light bulb before he had a complete change of opinion.

"You didn't answer the question," Madara pointed out after shaking himself from his musings.

Touka scowled and looked away. "He couldn't remain head, and, honestly, we didn't think he'd be the best Hokage either. Not when it came to administration. We know he'd defend the village, but..."

"But he's lacking the backroom leadership skills," he finished for her.

She nodded, still focused elsewhere. "Better the village as a whole feel the impact than just one clan. The Senju couldn't let his actions against Tobirama go unpunished. If that meant playing a long con to ensure he'd be held accountable one day, shutting our mouths and playing nice... then we were willing to do it."

Dark eyes shifted to meet his, determination clear. "One day, he'll be nothing but another Senju. He'll have no authority over anyone. That day, when he screws up badly enough to merit discipline, he'll understand the full scope of our ire."

"So you're going to wait for years to punish him for what he's already done half a decade ago?"

"My family is still mourning, Madara!" Touka whipped around to face him fully and smacked her chest harshly. "You think I'm being unreasonable? That I'm overreacting? I'm not. I'm really not. Two-thirds of the Senju clan want Hashirama's head on a pike for what he did. He had a duty of care for every single person under his protection. How can any of us trust him again when he was ecstatic to throw the one person he should have wanted to destroy the world for to the wolves?!"

"He-"

"Don't tell me he didn't know!" she screeched. "I know he didn't know! And that's because he purposefully forgot. Hashirama never liked to remember the truly horrifying things Butsuma did to his family. It didn't matter in the long run if other people still held grudges about it. It was over and done with, and there wasn't anything that could be done to fix it. So why bother dwelling?

"Hashirama was there from the beginning. He knew how his stepmother was treated wasn't right. But he closed his eyes and focused on keeping Tobi away from it instead of trying to help. And when she died, he cared. Hashirama cared! But he didn't care enough to remember how bad the abuse was. He didn't care enough to remember how Butsuma and the elders beat her down day after day until she gave up and decided bleeding out was a better way to go. He didn't care enough to remember when the elders came calling about marrying his precious little brother off to our enemy!"

Tears were streaming down Touka's cheeks, her eyes wide and shimmering in the afternoon light. Everything about her was erratic and distressed. She clenched her mission blacks with both hands as if trying to keep herself from flying apart at the seams. There was a sharp quality to it all, and it took Madara longer than it should have to realize that he'd activated his Sharingan at some point in her breakdown. The woman sucked in harsh gasps, trying to regain her composure. She reached up to wipe madly at her cheeks and refused to look at him.

It hurt. Hearing the details tore at something in Madara, where he buried his grief and rage. He'd lost three siblings before he was twelve, and he'd loved them all. And while Tajima wasn't the best father, he treated his children and wife with as much affection as he was capable of. War, after all, wasn't a place that nurtured soft hearts, and people had to work that much harder to retain as much kindness as possible. What Touka and the Senju brothers were put through growing up, Madara wanted to rend the world to undo it.

But he couldn't. Instead, all he could do was step forward into Touka's space and wrap his arms around her as tightly as he thought she could handle.

Touka broke.

The unexpected embrace shattered the last reserves of control she had, and she began to weep in earnest. Strong, elegant hands balled into fists hit out at him. She punched his ribs because she couldn't get to his chest, being pressed against it as she was. Legs flailed widely, trying to break his hold, but Madara held on and kept her standing when she would have fallen. Her sobbing screams felt like being hit by a tornado, but he held on and let her fight it out.

"Why?!" she cried. "Why didn't he care?"

"He was a child, Touka."

"He should have done something. Anything!"

"He was just a kid. Like you."

That caused the wailing to ratchet up, and fists moved from pounding his sides to clutching at them. "How could he forget? How could he just forget Sachiko?"

Madara couldn't give her an answer he knew she'd accept. Likely, it was trauma and dissociation. If her recounting was even vaguely accurate, Hashirama was front row and center to witness the systematic torture of his stepmother and the later abuse of his brother. That's not even dipping into how Butsuma treated his other sons before they died.

Or how he treated Touka.

"She was so sad, Madara. She was so sad all the time! And Tobi loved her so much. He was the only thing that could ever make her smile even a little bit." Touka stopped fighting Madara's hold and pressed her face into his shoulder, turning it slightly so she wouldn't suffocate in his hair. "She didn't deserve that."

Madara's arms tightened slightly before loosening again, a painful hug the woman seemed to tolerate without rancor. "None of you deserved that."

Her breathing hitched, but she didn't start crying again. "Hashi should have known better. He should have protected him."

"I can't tell you why Hashirama did what he did or didn't do. But I can tell you it was wrong. Touka-" he sighed, weighing his words, "-it was wrong of him to assume that the Uchiha would accept Tobirama with open arms. It was wrong to think I would treat his brother kindly because of a childhood dream."

He growled quietly at that thought. "As my husband, I'd never have hurt him on purpose. But we both know there are different types of harm, and not all of them are intentional. At the very least, Tobirama would have been surrounded by people who had been happy to kill him not even a month before. Hashirama should have realized that."

The training grounds were quiet around them, the sun slowly dipping closer towards the treetops. They'd been out there for what he'd guess was an hour, so that put them roughly around four in the afternoon. While they were in April, days were still shorter, and sunset was quickly approaching. They had another hour, by his guess, before the evening was officially there to greet them.

"I hate him," Touka mumbled, her voice hoarse from the crying.

The Uchiha debated before giving in. "Hashirama or Tobirama?"

She barked a short, wet laugh. "Both. But mostly Hashirama."

After another minute or so, Touka seemed to reach her limit for human contact and gently broke out of his hold. She stepped back and wiped at her eyes while sniffling once. Once she was composed, she looked back to him with false bravado.

"That never happened."

The laugh burst out of him before Madara could stop it. He quickly clamped his mouth shut, but the damage was done. Touka stared at him with wide eyes before a small smile broke out over her face. It chased some heartbreak away and brought back the confidence that so many people admired in her.

"I'm sorry, Uchiha." She bowed to him in apology, startling him. "I shouldn't have unloaded on you like that. I know how much your friendship with Hashirama means to you."

Madara hesitated for a long moment, weighing everything he knew about his friend and everything he'd learned.

"I... I still want to see the best in him," he admitted. "But I've never been someone to close my eyes to reality either. Hashirama... He has his failings. While I'm not excusing what he's done, I think you might be too close to see the full picture."

A beat, and then Touka was scowling again. "What full picture?"

"Touka, you're blaming Hashirama for what happened when you were all children. Yes, he was the oldest, but how can a nine-year-old hope to stop his father and clan head? I think he was doing the best he could."

"Really? The best he could?" The sarcasm was almost physical in its delivery, dripping from her words.

"Back then? Yes. He was a kid, Touka. You all were. You couldn't stand up to the adults any better than he could." He sighed and glanced at the ground before looking upwards again. "But now? Now is completely different. He's an adult and was the clan head himself. I can't defend his actions during the negotiations. But you have to find a way to put distance between the two situations. You have to separate your childhood out. Otherwise, you're stacking grievances that won't do anything but rot you away from the inside out."

His words rattled her. He could tell by the way her scowl dropped almost immediately, and her stiffened posture relaxed a little in surprise.

"I know about hatred, Touka. My clan is known for it. The 'Uchiha Madness' people call it. Your own brother liked to bandy that about when we were on the battlefield, trying to dehumanize us to make killing us easier. It's ugly and destroys you to the point where you don't care about who you destroy in return. I don't want to see you lost to that same madness."

"I... I don't... I can't just..."

"I'm not asking you to forgive him. I'm not even asking you to let it go. If the Senju clan is dead set on punishing him for his actions, it's not my place to interfere. But you need to find a way to move beyond this so you can let some of that hate go. Hate Hashirama... hate Tobirama if you have to. Just don't let it ruin your soul."

"... Holy crap." Touka was staring at him with wide eyes and a slack jaw at the end of his impassioned speech. "How the hell are you even more Hashirama than Hashirama is?"

The instinctive offense hit like expected, and Madara bristled and pointed a gloved hand at the woman. "You take that back!"

Eyes lit with glee, and the red mouth stretched wide into a delighted grin. "You are even more disgustingly optimistic than my stupid cousin!"

"I am not!"

Touka started laughing, doubling over a little and pointing at him. "'Don't let it ruin your soul!'"

"I'm trying to help, you harpy!"

"My soul. You're trying to help my soul!"

"That's it!" Madara snapped. He rolled up his sleeves and started looking around with a frustrated scowl.

Touka straightened up at that, worry starting to creep in over the laughter. "What? What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find a pond!"

That set the woman off again, and she darted away, crowing. "Tough luck, Uchiha! The next body of water large enough to dunk someone is on the other side of the field."

"Get back here!" he ordered. "That's close enough to throw you, wretch."

"No!"

The chase spilled over into the village proper. Touka hopped from roof to roof and then dropped down to duck under carts and through groups of people. The idling ninja shouted in surprise as she blasted through them, then shrieked when Madara slammed into the ground within a foot of them, chakra snapping with annoyance. The immediate reaction was that he was trying to kill her, but Touka's cackling and Madara's irritated spazzing quickly put an end to that worry.

At one point, they'd drawn enough attention to themselves that someone must have alerted the Hokage. They were running through the main street when the man appeared. After another near miss, Touka put on a burst of speed and then threw herself in reverse. She intended to dodge past Madara and take the hunt back the way it had come.

Hashirama, quick and agile, landed in between them with his back to the approaching Touka, not noticing his cousin bear down on him. Instead, he faced Madara, his expression dangerously angry and eyes flinty. Madara knew immediately that the other man had the wrong impression and that he believed, like many others had initially, that Madara was out to harm the female Senju.

"Madara-" His deep voice was cutting, and everyone around them felt the ground quiver with the threat of Mokuton.

Madara's eyes widened, and he tried to backtrack. "It's not what you think!"

Hashirama narrowed his own eyes further, and his mouth thinned. However, before he could speak, Touka slammed into him. She used the momentum to launch herself off the big man's back, landed, and slid a way on the ground behind him. Hashirama let out a surprised 'umph!' before he crashed into Madara, and both men went down in a tangle of limbs. Several feet away, Touka flung herself forward in a handspring and vaulted over their heads. She landed gracefully and then tore off down the street, laughing like a hyena.

Hashirama groaned in pain from on top of Madara's chest. "What just happened?"

Madara growled and shoved him off, trying to untangle himself from the oaf so he could go after the woman again. But she was gone by the time he got to his feet. He growled and threw a hand up in the air in the direction she had gone.

"Just you wait! There's a pond with your name on it, Senju!"

"I don't understand," Hashirama whined from behind him on the ground.

The Uchiha leader whipped around and glared. "Thanks a lot, Barkbrain!"

Hashirama stared at him in panicked confusion. "What did I do!?"

"I was just about to catch her! And-" he pointed over to a nearby alley and howled, "there's even a perfectly good rain barrel right there!"

The Hokage looked like he'd been slapped with a fish. "You weren't trying to hurt her?"

Madara glared at the man at his feet, angry at the insult to his character. His hair swelled as his lungs did, and Hashirama only had a second to yelp and dodge the great ball of flames Madara belched at him. "Why would I try to harm Touka, you moron?"

"Why are you being so mean?!" Hashirama wailed as he took off running, Madara chasing him around and spitting fire at him.

"You insulted me!"

"I didn't mean to! Madara... Madara, I'm sorry, okay! I'm sorry!!!"

"Get back here, Hashirama." Both men took to the roofs, running in the opposite direction Touka had gone. "I'm going to kick your ass!"

"Whaaaaa!!!"

Chapter Text

Izuna sent a crow to summon him. He'd been in his study, working on the backlog of paperwork the clan head was responsible for, when the bird sailed through the window and landed on his desk. Immediately, he knew something was up because his little brother preferred to bother him in person when he could.

"Lord Madara," it chirped. "Izuna says the Daimyo's letter has arrived."

Madara stood, his chair almost toppling over with the force. With only the shallowest of thought, he went through the motions of locking the documents away and then sealing his office closed before rushing out of the house. He didn't bother with niceties and bounded over the rooftops to get to the tower. From the corner of his eye, several other familiar figures were heading in that direction as well.

His sensory abilities gave him a leg up, and Madara veered away from the usual conference room or the Hokage office. Instead, he turned to where he felt a foreign chakra lingering along with Hashirama and Izuna's signatures lower in the tower. It was a smaller meeting room on the second floor, intended to serve as a reception room for people outside Konoha to present their mission requests. Keeping the room closer to the ground floor served as a natural barricade from sensitive information handled on the upper floors.

That meant they were trying to play keep-away from prying eyes.

Madara and Inojiro, who arrived directly after him, neared the room and spotted Shimiji Inuzuka tromping down the stairs toward them. The Uchiha jerked his head at the open door and then preceded the two other clan heads into the space.

His eyes located Izuna first, his little brother sitting off to the side on the desk with a passive expression. Madara didn't have the time to pay it much mind before he moved on to Hashirama, who stood in the center of the room. Hashirama had a smile on his face, like usual. However, Madara knew his friend well enough by now to know that it was fake. It set warning bells off, but the reason for the false pleasantry was quickly evident when black eyes slid past the Hokage to settle on the figure lounging against the window, backlit by the sun.

Grey hair was the first thing that registered. Then, the slender build and broad shoulders. It was challenging to make anything else out, what with how the sunlight cast the man's face (and he was confident they were male) into shadow. He heard Inojiro's quiet gasp beside him and felt how the space behind them both rippled slightly as Shimiji got a look at their visitor. At their stalling, the figure straightened and stepped away from the window and out of the afternoon glare.

And Madara's heart fell.

The man, so similar in appearance to Tobirama, was Hatake. Now that the sun wasn't blinding him, he could spot the differences. His hair was a shade or two off. While thin, he was bulkier than the younger Senju brother and didn't have Tobirama's height. Instead of net and plate armor like most ninjas, his outfit consisted of worn leather, deep brown with age and oil. The armor pieces were strapped down over a simple woven shirt of dark green and faded black canvas pants. A sword rested against his back. He wore a belt with several pouches around his waist, straps to hold his sword when in use, and a cross-harness over his chest. If Madara had to guess, the Hatake was closer to his age than Tobirama's.

It was a disappointment, and Madara hadn't realized until then that he'd been hoping for anything in the first place.

Hashirama's smile pulled just an infinitesimal amount tighter before he wrestled it back into the original facade. "This is Daisuke, from the Hatake clan. He comes bearing a message from the Daimyo."

And didn't that cause every ounce of paranoia in the Uchiha leader to begin shrieking?

The Hatake, a migratory clan that moved between Fire and Lightning, had rejected Konoha's offer to join the village. They had no interest in laying down roots. It 'wouldn't be the right fit' for them. Between the lines of their brief rejection letter, they made it clear that they didn't think the village would work for very long. Nor did they find value in giving up their citizenship to Lightning and submitting themselves to Konoha's will.

Their situation was a unique oddity. No other ninja clan was allowed such leniency. They split their time between the two countries, sending members out on a rotating basis to guard the trade routes in the country where they weren't presently based. Also, only the lord of the country where the Hatake's main camp was located at the time could contract their services outside the preestablished route and caravan guarding duties. There was no set schedule for the trade-off either. However, both Daimyo seemed content with the arrangement, even though it meant going a year or even two without the clan properly within their borders.

For there to be a Hatake messenger here, they had to have returned sometime recently. They'd left Fire the November before last, and they rarely moved again before a full year was up. So, based on the math, that meant any time in the prior four to five months. Which was right around the time the issues with the Daimyo started.

Did the Daimyo request the Hatake return to Fire? It wasn't common, but it had happened when the wolves' presence was needed to stabilize that region of the country. Was Konoha's position even more tentative than they thought? If the Daimyo decided a show of force was required, the wolf clan was a good choice for enforcers. They worked well with the Aburame and several of the other non-Konoha clans. So much so that the others would fall in line if the Daimyo unified the unallied clans and put them in charge.

What was the Daimyo's message behind his message?

The Hatake smiled at them, one hand on his waist and the other giving them a small wave. "Yo."

"Hatake-san." Inojiro shook off his surprise and greeted the newcomer with respect.

Daisuke winced, his nose wrinkling and lips jerking in aversion. "Ah, just Daisuke, please. I'm not the main branch, and I'm certainly not old enough for respectability."

Izuna snorted at that instinctively, and grey eyes slid over to meet the clan heir's. The Hatake smiled at the veiled mirth, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Please don't tell my grandaunt I said that. She'd have me running the cubs for weeks."

"Who is your-" Hashirama began to ask but was cut off by the arrival of the remaining clan heads.

Shikamoto glanced at Madara momentarily before smiling at the younger man and nodding in greeting. "Welcome to Konoha..."

"Daisuke," Daisuke provided amusedly.

"Daisuke," Shikamoto acknowledged. "Welcome."

The wolf runner, that's what he had to be if he was completing missions but not a main branch member, bowed his head a little in thanks. The additional bodies quickly blocked the doorway, people complaining and pushing at one another. Stuck at the back of the group, Choko sighed and then shoved everyone except Touka through until she could enter the room herself.

She took a good, long look at Daisuke and raised an eyebrow. "The Hatake are running messages now? Aren't we a little out of your way?"

Yamanaka groaned, and Nara closed his eyes at their friend's lack of decorum. It was funny, but only until you remembered who the message was from. Speaking of...

Daisuke laughed. "Not when it's the Daimyo sending the letter."

"Yes, where is the letter," Hashirama piped up. "I'm sure you have other things to do. If not, that's great as well. Oh, we can give you a tour! You can tell your clan all about it!"

Madara wanted to rip the idiot's hair out. The Hatake had already refused, irrefutably. It was a breach of protocol to keep pushing the topic while they maintained their stance. Haranguing their representative, not even half an hour after arriving, was social and political harassment and would garner them no favors with the wolf clan.

Instead of scowling or being insulted, the young man chuckled at the Hokage's enthusiasm and shook his head. "No, Lord Hokage. I'm afraid I've got a schedule to keep to and can't stick around."

He reached into one of his pouches and pulled out the scroll. The pocket had to have seal work done on it since the object was larger than the space that contained it. With a flourish, he held it out to Hashirama.

"Lord Daimyo sends his regards and requests to my clan head that I wait for a reply. I'm to take it back to the capital with due haste."

Hashirama, in the process of opening the scroll, stilled and looked up at the Hatake. "He wants a reply immediately?"

Daisuke nodded.

"I hope we have time to at least review and discuss his words briefly?" Shikamoto sounded calm and bored, but Madara knew he had to be panicking internally, just like he was.

"Yes, of course!" the Hatake assuaged. "It's just that I have to head out in the next couple of hours. I know it's not a lot of time, but Grandma insisted I get the job done by the day after tomorrow. That means I have to hit Kisaragi village tonight to make it."

"Of course," Madara jumped, trying to portray nonchalance. "We all know how mission deadlines are. Please, while we review our Lord's message, feel free to wait here. Or, if you need to restock provisions or would like something to eat, my brother can show you the best places to do so."

Everyone understood what he was doing. Daisuke, his lips quirking in a smile, nodded to the Uchiha clan head and then turned his attention to Izuna.

"Your clan head is very accommodating," he chirped jovially. "You're lucky to have such a nice man for a brother."

Madara heard stifled snickering somewhere behind him, and he decided he would set whoever it was on fire. After they got rid of the Daimyo's messenger, that is. His retribution would be swift and painful.

"Well," Inojiro stepped forward, "We will be back as soon as possible."

"Mmm," Daisuke nodded. "See you in a couple of hours!"

They all trooped up to the conference room two floors up and took their usual seats. Since Hashirama was dawdling, Madara snatched the scroll and pushed the bigger man down into the Hokage's chair. Then, he unfurled the thing so he could read it. After going over it twice, he passed it to Inojiro on his immediate left, who handed it to Choko. Shikamoto accepted it from the Akimichi leader and read it himself.

"Well," the shadow master said after several long, silent minutes. "Well..."

"Well, what?!" Hashirama asked, sitting on the edge of his seat and looking ready to vibrate right out of it.

Shikamoto looked around at the clan heads, meeting each one's worried gaze before looking back at the Hokage. A smile slowly stretched his lips, and he placed the letter down on the table. "The Ishaan has agreed."

Relief swept the room. Everyone, even the stuffy Hyuuga, cheered at the good news. After over a month of silence from the Daimyo, of waiting to hear anything from the man and expecting the worst, they finally had some good news. Hope spurred back to life in the group.

Madara raised a hand and pulsed his chakra, a signal for quiet. The room's occupants all turned their attention to him, wondering what he needed to say. Instead of speaking, though, he motioned at Shikamoto to explain the rest of the letter.

The other man nodded and addressed the group. "The Ishaan has agreed to assist. However, there are stipulations."

"What kind of stipulations?" Hyuuga asked, sounding as if he was bracing himself.

"The primary one is that we have to sign a contract to hire him."

Inuzuka sighed. "We expected that, though."

"Yes," the Nara agreed. "However, this is a unique situation. The Ishaan is primarily employed in this country through the Fire Daimyo. Which means, in effect, Konoha is piggybacking off the Daimyo's arrangement with the man. The contract we must sign is multifaceted for that reason."

He counted points off on his fingers. "First, it is an extension of the Daimyo's agreement. As we will be using his connection with the man, we will be required to observe the same terms as the Fire Lord."

"That sounds fair," Hashirama decided.

"Second, it is an international contract, meaning that all countries that hire the Ishaan's services agree to the same terms. Neutrality is the Ishaan's bread and butter. We must accept that and not seek to try to undermine it."

Shimiji frowned but nodded. "We already knew he's worked for Whirlpool and Water. It makes sense to want to keep away from playing favorites."

The Nara ticked up a third finger. "It will also have the specifics of this project broken down within it. This will only be retained by Konoha, the Daimyo, and the Ishaan. No other party will have the right to know the full scope of the work done here. Though the Daimyo warns us that it is already impossible to hide what we're hiring the Ishaan to do.

"Lastly, the details of the contract and what we're agreeing to are not provided here-"

Several of the clan heads sat up and started talking over each other, and Madara banged the table to shut them up. He glared at them, and their questions dried up under his irritation. When they had all subsided, he motioned for Shikamoto to continue.

"The details are not provided here," Shikamoto repeated pointedly, annoyed at the interruption, "but if we agree, the Daimyo will immediately send representatives to Konoha to explain everything in detail. They would answer all our questions and should be able to get us started preparing the necessary basics."

"What basics?" Touka asked.

"We're housing the Ishaan for however long this takes," Madara answered for Shikamoto. Everyone turned their attention back to him. "Between the lines, we're expected to treat him with the same level of dignity that the Daimyo does. I really don't think the Daimyo puts him up in a room in the local inn, do you? Besides, the Ishaan probably wants more information about the specific issues so he can hit the ground running. Lord Uzumaki told Mito that the man was usually always busy. I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to finish this job as soon as possible."

"You're right, Madara!" Hashirama jumped in. "We should probably decide where he's going to live. I'm sure he'd love to stay with me and Mito."

"Hang on," Shimiji cut in with a scowl. "Why would he stay with you?"

"I'm the Hokage," the man said, sounding as if he was unsure why the Inuzuka head was even asking. It made a few of the others also chime in with grumbles.

Before the meeting could devolve into arguments and shouting, Madara snapped his chakra out again. Once everyone had shut up, he looked Hashirama in the eye.

"We're going to wait until we speak with the representatives. It's stupid to make decisions now without knowing the facts. And that's if we agree."

"But, why wouldn't we?" Hashirama asked.

"This is potentially a lot to agree to," Akimichi explained, her tone serious as she eyed the scroll in front of Shikamoto. "We won't know the specifics until the representatives arrive. By committing to this now, we are potentially binding ourselves to terms that are not favorable for us."

"But," the Hokage looked at her helplessly, gesturing with his hands, "we don't have a choice. That's what we decided when we asked the Daimyo for help."

And he was right. They didn't have a choice.

Touka grumbled but stood up and waved a hand at the letter. "Sign the damn thing. We all know we won't be the ones in charge of this mess. I'd rather take the chance and regret it than not try and lose everything."

"It's more like drafting a response than signing this-"

The swordswoman scoffed and cut the Nara off. "You know what I mean. Now, can we just get this done with? I'd rather not give that Hatake more ammunition."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the Hokage asked her.

Before Touka could reply in an exceedingly blunt and vicious manner, Madara explained. "The Daimyo sent him, Hashirama. My guess is to remind us of our place and get an unbiased pair of eyes on the ground. The Hatake messenger also gave us a deadline of two hours. It's not a good look if we disrespect his time."

Shikamoto nodded his agreement with the analysis and then glanced around again. "So any last-minute reservations?"

None came, and Madara left Hashirama with the Nara clan head to draft the letter. In favor of remaining behind and worrying, he headed out to find his brother and the Hatake. When he saw the room they had been in was empty, he reached out with his senses. It only took a minute to locate the two signatures in question, his brother's chakra a well-loved beacon. They weren't too far away, just down the street. Madara tromped down to the ground floor and out the main doors before swinging right and going down the street to the market.

Izuna and Daisuke were idling at a street stand selling salted and baked fish. The Hatake was inspecting the food with a careful eye, studying several cuts before he pointed to four in particular. He smiled kindly at the older woman manning the stall and pulled out several coins to cover the purchase as she packed it away. Only a minute later, the grey-haired man crammed the parcel in one of his too-small pouches.

"Lord Uchiha!" Daisuke welcomed him with a wave as he approached the duo.

"Daisuke," he greeted in return. "I hope you've found everything you needed?"

The Hatake's smile widened, and he nodded. "Yes. I've been meaning to restock my kunai and wire."

Madara tilted his head to the stand. "Rations as well?"

That garnered a laugh from the man. "Oh, no. Not for me. Sumire has been bugging me for days for a proper treat."

At the call of her name, a small brown head poked itself up from behind Daisuke's back. After a moment, the rest of the creature's slender, furry body was visible as it clambered up on the Hatake's shoulder. It sat on its haunches and studied Madara momentarily, holding its long and tapered tail in its claws, before excitedly chittering to its human. To Madara's amusement, it had a small, blue-checkered pouch slung across its chest.

Izuna jumped slightly at the unexpected animal and moved a little closer to stare at the thing. "What is that? And where the hell was it!"

Daisuke patted the furry snake-thing on the head before laughing at the younger Uchiha. "This is Sumire. She's an otter. And I have a special compartment above my sword harness that she can ride in."

Madara's interest rose, and he stepped closer as well. "An otter? I've heard of them, but they aren't native to this part of the country."

"Yeah, Sumire's romp is adventurous. They like seeing the sights. Don't you?" Daisuke asked the otter on his shoulder.

Sumire nodded before she pointed a webbed paw down toward Daisuke's chest and then petted the human's cheek. She seemed to coo at the wolf-runner. Izuna's eyes widened slightly, and a small smile stretched his lips.

"So cute..." he whispered, not realizing the other two men could hear him.

Madara met Daisuke's gaze for a moment before having to look away and bit his tongue to keep the laughter at bay.

"Would you like to pet her?" the Hatake asked.

Izuna's mouth parted, and his eyes lit up. "Really? She'd let me?"

The other man shrugged, reaching up to steady the animal as he did so. "I don't see why not. She'd let you know if she didn't like you."

After hesitating for a second or two, Izuna shuffled closer and carefully raised his hand. Black beady eyes locked onto the fire user, making Izuna still before the otter chittered at him in a friendly manner. Izuna slowly ran a finger over the top of Sumire's head, and the otter remained motionless for half a minute before she knocked his hand away.

"Aw," Izuna pouted.

Daisuke laughed again. "Next time, give her some fish, and she'll probably crawl all over you."

"I thought the Hatakes were contracted with the wolves?" Madara asked their guest.

Grey eyes slid back to the Uchiha clan head. "We are. Sumire isn't my contract. Her romp comes and goes as it pleases. When she heard I was heading out, she decided she wanted to come with me." He ran a finger over the otter's paw and smiled when Sumire moved to hold it. "I won't turn down the free company."

"Aw, I'm so jealous," Izuna sulked. "I've contracted with the clan's crows. They're great, mind you! But they're not really the cuddling type."

"Neither are my immediate family's wolves," Daisuke confessed. "There are other wolves contracted with more distant relatives that will let you cuddle, but mom and dad's are vicious fuckers. They nearly bit me the last time I tried to pet them.

"Though-" the wolf-runner grinned and ran a hand over the back of his head, "I may have been plastered at the time."

Izuna and Madara both stifled a laugh at that. While still wary of the ninja, the man was exceedingly likable. He wasn't a fool either, which helped. The brothers knew the man had an ulterior motive for being so open and amiable. He was a representative of the Daimyo, chosen by his clan head above many others for this mission. Still, regardless of whatever opinion of them he had, he was polite and respectful.

With that in mind, Madara bowed slightly to their visitor. "I would like to apologize for the ambush, Daisuke."

Daisuke's expression sobered a little, his gaze sharpening with understanding even as his smile remained. "You are very kind, Lord Uchiha."

Madara ignored his brother staring at him and shook his head. "It's not kindness. We both know that you can claim offense on behalf of your clan, and it would be deserved."

"Lord Hokage is merely excited and proud of his village," the man attempted to explain away. Sumire, maybe picking up on the change in atmosphere, shifted around until she could hop back into her riding pocket.

"Hashirama is excitable," Madara agreed, not missing how the other insinuated Hashirama owned Konoha. "But I still feel obligated to apologize on our village's behalf. You should not have been put into that position. The clans respect your leader's decision."

"Maa, maa," Daisuke said with a bit of embarrassment, waving away Madara's words. "It's fine. Granny expected something like that to happen. She won't take offense at an excited outburst."

Glad to have dodged a bullet, Madara nodded his acceptance and motioned to the rest of the market. "Have you gotten everything you need? We finished our review, and the acknowledgment should be ready by now."

The wolf-runner perked up and nodded gratefully. "Yes. I didn't need all that much anyway."

The three men began the trek back to the administration tower, Madara in the center, with Daisuke and Izuna to his left and right. By Madara's estimate, they had about three or four hours before sundown. If the Hatake left within the hour, that would give him enough time to make it to Kisaragi village southeast of Konoha right around then.

"Will you be staying overnight at Kisaragi?"

Daisuke nodded. "Yeah. I have a side job there before heading on to the capital. Usually, we don't go so far south, but we tend to double-up on missions when we do to make it worthwhile."

"Smart," Izuna said with a nod of his own.

"Which is why I appreciate you guys being so quick about it."

Madara weighed his words carefully before replying, cautious about striking a balance between curiosity and prudence. "I will admit I was surprised you were the messenger the Daimyo chose."

He felt more than saw the shrewd, dark eyes studying him. It was a little unnerving having that attention on him, but he did his best not to show it. After a drawn-out moment, the sensation abated, and the Hatake returned to being unassuming.

"This far into negotiations, the Daimyo wants things done right. That means ensuring letters get where they're supposed to go when they're supposed to be there."

"He certainly chose the right people, then," Izuna chimed in. He then leaned around Madara. "We didn't know that you were back in Fire, though. That's a quick turnaround, isn't it?"

It was a risky move, Izuna prodding for that information. Clans usually stayed out of each other's business, at least openly. The Uchiha leader was curious to see how the ninja beside him would react.

Daisuke smiled at them, entertained by their digging. "We had a good few years. It makes it possible to relocate the main camp more frequently."

"I'm glad you're doing well," Madara told him, meaning it.

The man examined him again for a second before looking forward. "Even if we aren't part of your village?"

"Especially then," he said. "I don't want others to suffer while we prosper simply because we have differing opinions."

Things were quiet between them after that until they reached the tower. Standing outside, Hashirama and Mito waited for them, with the other clan heads off to the side. As the trio approached, Sumire popped back out of her hiding place, crawling up to ride on her human's shoulder. Mito spotted the otter and stared at it intently as they grew nearer. When they reached the greeting party, the Uzumaki princess stepped toward Daisuke.

The wolf-runner bowed his head in respect, obviously knowing who the woman was from second-hand accounts. "Lady Uzumaki."

"Daisuke-san," she greeted, balancing the need for formality with the Hatake's stated dislike of it.

Her eyes strayed back to the animal on his shoulder, and Madara thought he spotted a hint of yearning in her gaze. Sumire must have noticed the same thing because she perked up and chittered at the woman. Mito's smile gentled into an honest thing, and she swayed a bit closer.

"It's been a very long time since I've seen such a lovely creature," she complimented. "Is she yours?"

"No. She's part of a romp that comes and goes as they please. She decided that- Whoa!!" Daisuke cut off in surprise as Sumire decided to change locations.

The otter, still observing Mito up until that point, coiled her body and pushed off Hatake's shoulder with a powerful kick. She knocked Daisuke off balance as she leapt across the distance. Mito's eyes widened as twenty pounds of muscle and fur barreled into her. The impact sent her back a step, and she let out a noise of surprise. Instinctively, Mito reached up with both hands to cradle and stabilize the otter while she regained her balance.

Sumire waited a few seconds for Mito to straighten before she clambered up the rest of the way onto her shoulder and began patting the woman's buns and playing with the sealing paper hanging from them. That brought out a genuine giggle from the princess, a tinkle of bell-like laughter that startled everyone there.

Mito, as Hashirama's wife, had not participated in the initial negotiations. She had remained behind at the Senju compound to guard it while the clan head and the third-in-command interacted with the Uchiha. Then, during the official truce, she often remained behind during planning meetings for the village. Her status as an Uzumaki princess could easily upset the careful balance they were trying to achieve. It wasn't until the village was well on its way to being built and the clans had moved in that people got the first opportunity to truly interact with her. That first impression mainly remained the same since.

Mito was known to be serious, as composed as she was aloof. However, despite that, no one thought her frigid or arrogant. No one who would marry Hashirama for love or even affection could be those things. Still, she was royalty, and it showed. Her image was carefully cultivated, and she rarely let it lapse. Most of the village had never seen her at less than her best. So, to hear her laugh so openly, sounding so happy and looking nothing like the portrait she usually strived to be, was incredible to witness.

"Oh, you're a darling!" the princess crooned at the creature. Carefully, she reached up to pull Sumire off her shoulder so she could nestle her in her arms. "Aren't you beautiful.”

Sumire puffed up, fluffing her fur to make herself look that much more adorable. That garnered another laugh from Mito, and the woman's smile widened even further. Joy lit her entire face and made her absolutely beautiful. It made Hashirama, who had been glowering at the otter as if it were an enemy combatant, beam in automatic response, happy that his wife was happy.

"Wow... Sumire doesn't usually take to people that quick." Daisuke watched the interaction carefully, observing how Mito naturally interacted with the otter.

"We have sea otters in Whirlpool," Mito answered, glancing at him before looking back at Sumire. "I grew up playing with them in the ocean, racing them with boats and surfboards."

"Did you ever win?" he asked her slyly, already knowing the answer.

Mito laughed again, delighted to be in on a joke with someone that no one else understood. "Not once."

"That's a sea otter?" Shimiji asked, roughly nudging a couple of people aside so she could get a better look. "But we're not near the ocean."

"No." Mito shook her head and turned to the clan heads so they could better see the animal. "This is a river otter. They're smaller than sea otters and have a bit of a different build. See her tail? River otters have a longer tail and are slighter in build."

Choko craned nearer. "How much bigger are sea otters?"

The Whirlpool princess looked to be thinking about it before she glanced down at Sumire. "If I remember my lessons, sea otters can be up to 60 or 90 pounds for females and males, respectively."

Inojiro whistled at that. "You'd think they'd be smaller with what you hear about them."

"They're wonderful creatures. I remember watching them compete with the dolphins for the best fish and brightest shells. We'd line up on the docks as children and throw yellowfin and clams when they came near." Mito sighed wistfully, making Madara realize with a dropping stomach how different Fire Country was from Whirlpool and how badly the woman must miss her homeland.

With one last run of fingers over fur, Mito grudgingly handed Sumire over to Daisuke. The little otter went willingly and climbed back into her customary spot on the Hatake's shoulder. Daisuke peeked up at Sumire and smiled kindly.

"Have fun?" Sumire chirped and nodded, and the wolf-runner chuckled. "You're so spoiled."

She blew a raspberry at him, and most of the gathered shinobi laughed.

"Well," Shikamoto sighed and stepped forward. "As entertaining as this has been, I know you must be on your way."

"Yeah," Daisuke nodded. "Best be off sooner rather than later."

Disappointed at not convincing the Hatake of the village's merits, Hashirama moped some before he shuffled forward and pulled out the sealed scroll for the Daimyo. Daisuke took it with a smile. He bowed slightly to the Hokage, mindful of jostling his passenger, and then nodded at the clan heads. As he turned to leave, Sumire tugged at his ear.

"Ow!" He massaged the place where small claws left tiny nicks and glared up at her. "What's that for?"

Sumire chattered at him and then pointed to Mito. Daisuke turned back to the group with a sigh. The otter waved at the redhead and whistled at her, playing with the pouch strapped to her. Curious, Mito approached the duo. The otter kept digging for a few seconds before she pulled out a shiny black rock half the size of Mito's palm. With great dignity, she carefully held it out to the princess.

"Oh... oh she really likes you," the Hatake voiced, eyes a little wide. "That's her favorite stone. She doesn't let just anyone touch it, let alone have it."

With significant consideration, Mito accepted the stone from the otter. She examined it before pressing it to her chest. She smiled at Sumire, her eyes watering slightly, and she bowed. It was a little odd to see a princess and shinobi bow to an otter, but it still came off as sincere and heartwarming.

"Thank you, Sumire. I will treasure it. I appreciate your kindness."

Sumire hiccupped and then chirped at Mito before she tapped Daisuke on the head. With the clear signal that she was ready to depart, the Hatake gave one last wave to the group and then turned and headed toward the gate. They watched the man until he was a speck on the road and then broke apart. Some still had some work to do, while others decided to head home or go to an early dinner.

Madara waited until most were gone. The last stragglers were the Hokage and his wife, Izuna, and he. Mito smiled at the two Uchihas before she headed off in the direction of the Senju compound. Hashirama trailed after her like the love-sick fool he was. Izuna snorted in abject disgust at the sight and bumped Madara in the shoulder in camaraderie.

"Please don't ever get that bad."

Irritation licked at his temper, and he bristled. "For the last time, I do not have a crush on Tobirama!"

Several villagers nearby stopped in their tracks. A couple happened to be well-known gossips, probably lurking around to try to catch the reason for the Hatake's visit. One raised an eyebrow at him in a judgmental manner. Heat infused his cheeks, and Madara ducked his head to try to hide his face in his hair. That made the busybodies giggle, and they quickly dispersed.

Madara felt the urge to hide in his room for the next month.

Izuna, the little shit, cackled at him.

Later that evening, after dinner, as they lounged on the garden porch, Izuna poured each of them a glass of sake and stared thoughtfully at the koi pond.

"Did you notice the way he looked at him?"

Most wouldn't have caught it, but Madara had already been looking. He'd been wary of Hashirama making another faux pas before allowing the Hatake to depart. Knowing the idiot may not remember why it was inappropriate to harangue the wolf-runner, he was ready to jump in to cut any wheedling attempt off before it could get very far. However, what caught Madara's attention was the faint glint he saw in Daisuke's eyes as he smiled at Hashirama.

It was expertly veiled. The elder Uchiha brother doubted anyone else had spotted it. Not even Shikamoto. But to two powerful and trained Sharingan users? Oh, he'd seen it alright.

"He doesn't like him," Madara admitted.

"Hm." Izuna sipped at his drink and then glanced at his sibling. "I think it's a little more than that."

He thought so as well, but had been afraid to voice it. Being wrong about something like that was dangerous. You didn't go around claiming grudges and hatred without gaining potential enemies if you're mistaken.

"He doesn't seem to dislike us, though, or the village."

His little brother nodded. "I think there's more to them refusing to join than just them not wanting to settle down."

Madara sighed. "I was afraid of that. The Aburame as well. They're both pack mentality clans."

Izuna squinted at Madara in confusion. "The Hatake, I get. How are the bug people pack-oriented, though?"

"Hive," he corrected. "They're hive-minded. There's little more important to them than their colonies. Go after one of them, and you get them all ready to swarm you."

His brother hissed in understanding and downed his glass before refilling it. "Great. Just great. Two of the most powerful clans in Fire refused our offer because our leader turned his back on his brother. The gift that keeps on giving."

Madara scowled, hating that he couldn't defend his friend on this. The rumors had spread quickly despite their best effort. After some digging, the Uchiha's spymaster found evidence that the Fire lord learned about the marriage contract debacle just shy of two months after its release. Why the man sat on it for a year and a half, though, he didn't know.

"Madara-"

"Don't," he cut his sibling off. "Don't say something you know I can't look the other way from."

"He's not-"

Madara turned and glared at Izuna, the heat in his stare cowing his brother into silence. "I know people are unhappy, Izuna. I know they don't think he's meeting expectations. I know there is a faction that wants him out. I know that faction is growing."

Izuna's face twisted unpleasantly, and he huffed and looked away. "I know he's your friend..."

"Yes, he is." Madara glowered down at his cup. "But that's not why I can't let you say it."

He looked up to meet the other man's gaze.

"Izuna, we didn't build in a mechanism for remediation. There's nothing in our laws that allows us to replace our leadership. That faction, if it acts, is committing treason. That's a death sentence. And the worst part is, no one would agree to carry it out. If anyone tries, the clans will rise up.

"Little brother, if anyone acts, it could be the spark that ignites a civil war. Do you understand what that means? We'd be fighting and ripping each other apart in our own homes. I can't let it be us that starts that. I can't have the Uchihas be the ones that people point fingers at a hundred years from now."

Now his brother looked shaken. Like he hadn't realized how catastrophic Madara's concerns had become.

"You think it will get that bad?"

He thought back to that afternoon a week or so ago, when Touka had admitted that the Senju had voted for Hashirama, not because he was the right person for the job, but because they no longer wanted him. Madara remembered the grief and anger and hatred that festered for half a decade. That kind of rage was content to linger unseen for another five years or ten or twenty, just as long as it got its due at the end of things.

Madara recalled Shikamoto's admission about undermining the Hokage to punish him. To force his hand because Hashirama was never the one meant to be the actual power behind the village. A figurehead that they would all be too polite to admit to. The elder Senju brother was suited to be the village's first and last line of defense, its protector and dreamer.

It was the younger brother that many of the other clans expected to follow. It was the younger who had the aptitude for the dull and dirty aspects of leadership. It was the younger with the intelligence and patience to plan and plot. It was the younger Senju that many people grudgingly considered the shinobi ideal. It was the younger who had the practicality to translate the elder's impossible dream into reality.

Madara refilled his drink and swirled the cup, all the while avoiding looking at his younger brother.

Understanding him as well as he did, Izuna knew the answer to his question.

Chapter Text

The Daimyo received Konoha's confirmation notice a day and a half after Daisuke departed the village. He'd sent word almost immediately with a fresh runner, a Fuma clan member this time, that his chosen contingent would leave the capital within two days and take a week to arrive. Based on the verbiage and context, the group should consist of three mid-level ministers and two court ladies, their personal attendants, and the necessary guards. As they were civilians, they'd have to travel by carriage. That meant that by the time the letter arrived, the group was about ready to depart if it hadn't already. So, Konoha had a week to prepare short-term accommodations for up to 45 people. 

"This is such a pain in the ass," Shimiji griped as she and several of her clan members cleared away fallen debris from their designated section of the construction site.

The clan heads had quickly settled on an unused portion of the Hyuuga's compound as the site for a makeshift manor. The Byakugan users weren't happy about it, but it was only temporary. It was also the best location they could find without having to relocate civilians and destroy properties needlessly. So, after a heated discussion where Touka threatened to stab Haruko in the throat if he didn't get off his high horse and get with the program, the Hyuuga leader conceded to the limited use of his land. He made it clear, though, that it was only for this specific visit. The buildings put up for the delegation would come down the hour after they left the village.

"Tell me about it," Haru, her younger son, complained. He'd been one of the first to arrive for the day. Milner, his canine partner (such a stupid name, but no one asked her for her opinion), lay sleeping on a cleared patch of ground in the shade. "I should have been out of here two hours ago. Misoka was wanting to go fishing, but no. I've gotta stick around and keep working."

Shimiji swung her axe down and cleaved another thick branch from the tree she was working on. The space for the great house was littered with rocks and trees, and they were trying to repurpose as much of it as possible. So, trees were being delimbed for either planking or firewood. She'd felled a dozen before switching to chopping them up.

She cast a jaundiced eye toward the distance, where another crew of unlucky bastards were knee-deep in a collapsed sewage pipe. The stink clung heavy to the air over there, sour and rank. Distance spared their site from the worst of it, but Shimiji's sensitive nose still picked up more than she cared to. Tobirama Senju's blueprints came to mind—neat, precise lines that had never quite become reality.

She turned back to her work and grunted. "I still can't believe we have to house these fuckers for a couple of weeks." She swung down again. "Why can't they just explain things nice and quick and then fuck off?"

"Inuzuka-sama, we've already been over this. It won't be more than a week."

Both dog contractors stopped working and turned their attention to the tired-looking Nara standing a little ways away. Kohaku, Shikamoto's second cousin—or maybe third—was in charge of overseeing the site's clearing. He wasn't happy about it either. The work required a supervisor to ensure it was completed, that no one accidentally encroached on protected land, or that nearby repair crews didn't spill into their zone. However, it was a thankless job since no one was happy. That, and the young Nara didn't have the time to slip away and take a nap.

"Still, how much bullshit are they going to spew that it takes a week?"

Kohaku sighed and rubbed at his brow in irritation. "Part of that is recuperation from travel. A week in carriages on bumpy roads isn't the most relaxing."

"Psh," Haru scoffed. "Weaklings."

The Nara glared at him before glancing around the site. "Be that as it may, they still need a day or two to rest. That means a couple of days for the actual discussions and then a day to prepare for their departure."

"A lot of work for a measly few days," Shimiji complained, making her relation to the teen beside her unmistakable. "Why can't they just sleep in tents?"

Haru gasped and slapped a hand to his chest in mock outrage. "Court ladies sleeping outdoors? Heaven forfend!"

That made the Inuzuka matriarch laugh and slap a callused, dirty hand on her thigh. Her son grinned at getting a reaction out of her and then went back to digging up stumps. He grunted as he slammed the shovel into the ground and wedged it under an exposed root. The wood creaked as metal pried at it.

"Look, I know it's annoying. I literally want to be anywhere but here. But we've got a job to do. The sooner we get this done, the quicker the Hokage can build the house. As soon as he takes over, we're done."

Shimiji squinted at the black-haired ninja. "Is that optimism I hear?"

"Sounds like it," Haru grunted as a particularly difficult root gave way. 

"Disgusting."

Kohaku closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling as he did so. "Just... just finish this area today, please. Princess Mito wants the house done tomorrow so she can put in some seal work the next day. We'll need another day to outfit it with furniture."

She grimaced at all the work that still had to be done and nodded. Annoying the younger man was entertaining, but he was too stressed out for it to be any real fun. They'd cleared two-thirds of their area, and most other sections looked nearly finished. If they didn't start dicking around, she estimated it would be another couple of hours of hard work. There weren't many stumps or large rocks, and the few that were there would be pulled up by the combined workforce when everything was done.

"Go on," she waved Kohaku away. "Go gripe at someone else. We'll be done by sundown. And then you can go sleep in a ditch somewhere."

That got her a wistful look. "I wish."

Shimiji snorted at the Nara before returning to her axe and partially dismantled tree. She caught her son's eye on a downward swing, the weapon whistling before it thwacked into the wood. "The shit we do for family."

Haru grinned at his mother.

Chapter Text

Madara felt a headache building. He stood on the cliff's peak, staring out into the trees, and had been for the past hour. The clifftop afforded him the best view of the roads leading to Konoha for at least a mile. While the wait was tedious, the opportunity to catch sight of the procession before it arrived was crucial for last-minute adjustments. Besides, he was curious to see which clans the Daimyo hired to guard the caravan.

Konoha had sent out a contingency of two dozen ninjas to meet the group that dawn. Hashirama estimated them to be about six hours away by civilian standards. The group breaking camp shortly after dawn would put their arrival somewhere around lunchtime. With that timeframe in mind, Madara eventually excused himself from his duties and climbed the mountain to wait.

As he expected, after the village's streets began to crowd for the lunch rush, Madara spotted movement on the route in the far distance. It was a winding stretch of road between trees, but the Uchiha could make out the procession well enough from his vantage spot. He activated his Sharingan to get a better view and studied the pending visitors.

From what he could see, there were four carriages and several wagons. Mundane guards marched beside them, with even more forming two columns in the front and rear. What he assumed to be servants were placed at the back, between the carts and the rear guards. A few were scattered up further, most likely personal manservants and maids, lingering within hearing distance in case their masters needed them. Three dozen shinobi, not including Konoha's, were flanking the troops on the sides and in the back.

The leaders of the village's greeting party led the entire group. Imichi Yamanaka, Inojiro's daughter and heir, stood shoulder to shoulder with Shimiji's son, Haru. The rest of the village's escorts were spread out to augment the foreign ninja. From a distance, most of the non-village shinobi weren't identifiable. However, he spotted several heads of white and a few individuals wearing sunglasses. So, Hatake and Aburame were among the caravan guards, which wasn't surprising.

What was surprising, though, was the third carriage in.

It was a deep brown, with the curtains and door panels a vibrant red. The horses were kitted out in the same hue. While still too far away to see details, Madara didn't doubt that particular carriage had a very special kamon embossed on it. After all, only one family had the right to use that specific color. With its placement in the cavalcade, the passenger was most likely one of the two women, which meant that one of the three ministers was of a lower rank than her.

Or, Madara thought to himself as he slid his gaze to the front of the line, where two civilians were on horseback; someone had decided to eschew a carriage in favor of riding out in the open.

Which, if that was the case, was telling in another way. To his knowledge, not many of the ministers important enough to be sent on this excursion with a royal relative were versed in extended riding. Not enough to be comfortable with abandoning the option of a covered coach entirely. That spoke of military experience or extensive travel. Ministers preferred not to share, and civilian propriety frowned on riding with women unrelated to you. So, that meant they would be hosting two or three high-ranking ministers and a female member of the Daimyo's family.

Wonderful.

Madara backed up and turned before he leaped from the bluff towards the village below. As the ground approached, the Uchiha flipped and caught the rock with his sandals. A pulse of chakra stuck him fast to the wall, and Madara ran down the rest of the way. After reaching the bottom, he hopped into the trees and raced back to the village to inform Hashirama and Mito of at least one guest's noble lineage.

A clipped five minutes later, and he hit the outskirts of the village proper. Luck was on his side, and Madara flagged down two Hyuuga walking down a road. He vaguely remembered one from various construction planning meetings, so the man had to be higher up in their clan.

"Hyuuga-kun." He landed beside the two men and focused on the one he knew. "I need you to run an urgent message to your clan head."

The Hyuuga blinked, what the fire user knew was a trained response to surprise, and nodded. "Of course, Lord Uchiha."

"Tell Lord Hyuuga that the Daimyo most likely sent upper-level ministers and a female relative. There's a royal carriage in the group, and it's positioned third. We need to reassign the rooms and replace the household goods, especially in the room set aside for the woman. We have 45 minutes until they arrive, an hour, max, before they start making their way to the house."

To his credit, the Hyuuga member didn't falter. Instead, he straightened and asked, "Any further orders to relay, Lord Uchiha?"

Thankful that the man understood the situation they were in, Madara nodded. "Tell your clan head that we'll need to pool our resources, as frustrating as it is. There are only a few clans in the village with the quality of goods we need on hand. He has my authority as Uchiha leader to pull from my clan as needed. I'm sending a runner to the Akimichis as well. I doubt Choko will refuse to help. I'll have the goods from both clans delivered to the house."

He pointed a finger at the Hyuuga and glared. "If Haruko has any issues with this, you make sure he knows he'll be to blame if the Daimyo takes offense at the inferior hosting of his family."

"Yes, sir!" With that, the man leaped away, full-out sprinting back to his compound to inform his clan head of the situation.

Madara turned to the other Hyuuga who had remained behind. "What was his name?"

"Enji, Lord Uchiha."

"And yours?"

"Sasuke."

Madara nodded. "Sasuke, while Enji runs to the Hyuuga compound, I need you to run to the Akimichi. Give Choko the same message. Tell her to gather anything and everything that she can think of and take it to the house. Then, run to the Uchiha compound. If Izuna isn't there, Hikaku should be. Either of them knows what we need. They're to bring it to the house as quickly as possible. Let Haruko parse it out and decide what goes where or isn't needed."

"Yes!"

"Go as fast as you can. We need as much time as we can get." With that, Madara turned and jumped onto a nearby roof, bounding from building to building so quickly that he was practically a blur.

Hashirama, likely sensing the urgency in his approach, was waiting for him outside the Hokage tower. When Madara landed before him, the Senju waved a hand toward his family's compound.

"I sent Izuna to retrieve Mito. You seemed upset by how fast you were moving. What's wrong?"

Madara blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair roughly. "The Daimyo decided to send upper ministers instead of mid-tier, as the letter implied. Also, there's a royal carriage in the mix. I'm pretty sure it's a female relative."

As naive as Hashirama often came across, Madara knew the man was more knowledgeable than people assumed. He understood the severity of the situation. It wasn't difficult to realize the Daimyo was playing games with them. They'd planned their accommodations around court officials of a certain status. To provide high-ranked representatives with the same quality of goods as lower-level administrators would be deemed an insult. With three of the four noble clans in the village, it could be considered a black eye for Konoha.

Hashirama's mouth thinned, and he gripped his hands together in agitation. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I've already sent runners to the Hyuuga and Akimichi compounds and then to the Uchiha to inform them. They'll start gathering what we have that would suit. My main concern is the woman. The Daimyo only has a handful of female family, and I can count on one hand the ones old enough to be trusted with something like this."

"Any idea on who it could be?"

Madara shook his head. "No, not really. His eldest daughter is competent and old enough, but, from the last report, she's in Lightning on a diplomatic trip. I doubt he'd send his wife, either. He's too attached to her."

"Doesn't he have sisters?"

"Hn," the Uchiha scowled. "They're more trouble than what they're worth. If he sends one of them, we'll know he wants us to fail."

"What do we-" the Hokage cut off as Mito and Izuna arrived.

"What's going on?" Izuna asked. "What's wrong?"

Madara quickly recapped the problem for them. Royalty herself, Mito immediately realized the same thing he had on the clifftop. The Uzumaki princess flicked the side of her dress in agitation and scowled.

"Husband, Madara," she looked at both of them as she snapped orders, "go home and change into your middling court attire. Not the best you have, but something that shows you're putting in some effort. Then meet at the gate."

She pursed her lips in thought. "Hashirama, if you have time, grow some red camellia and plain lilies if you can. Bring some camellia with you when you return, but send the rest with the lilies to the house. We'll have a runner waiting out of sight at the gate. If the royal member likes the camellia, that will be the flower we add to the house. If not, then we'll use the lilies."

"Of course," both agreed.

Hashirama left immediately, needing as much remaining time as possible to prepare.

Madara glanced at his little brother, who nodded at him and then back at Mito. "Is there anything Izuna can help with?"

"It would be helpful to clear the streets so the carriages can get through unimpeded." She looked past the siblings and eyed the busy crowds warily.

"I can do that," Izuna assured. "Would it be better to have them gone or just off to the sides? Like they're observing a parade?"

"Off to the sides is fine, but make sure they're not gawking. Everyone should keep about their business as usual. We need the road clear, not a welcoming procession."

"Right. I'll nab a handful of people, and we'll get started on corraling the masses. Do I need to dress up?"

Mito sighed in frustration. "I'd love to have you with us when they arrive, but there's simply too much to do. We need to ensure the roads are clear and that a runner is waiting at the gate for the flowers."

"Got it." Izuna smiled down at the woman, trying to put her at ease. "You can count on me to get it done, Mito. Go get changed."

"Thank you, Izuna." Mito reached over, clasped one of Izuna's hands, and squeezed. "We're lucky to have you."

A flush stole over Izuna's cheeks at that, turning his entire face pink, and Madara bit back the urge to laugh. His brother, potentially sensing his amusement, shot him a glare before huffing and heading off. The Uchiha heir started grabbing any and every ninja he came across and let them know what needed to be done. As Madara turned to rush home, there were no less than a dozen shinobi surrounding Izuna, all serious-looking and nodding away as they were assigned their jobs.

When he reached the boundary of the Uchiha section, he scrutinized his clansmen who were not engaged in hunting down household goods for the impending retinue. There were a handful of women wrangling the children to keep them from underfoot, and he called to three of them as he passed. The children, spotting who it was that called to their caretakers, ground to a halt at the sight of their fearsome leader coming near. One of the women he hadn't chosen shooed the three kunoichis after him even as they grabbed at suddenly shy and frightened kids.

"What's going on, Madara?" Nami, one of the younger Uchiha kunoichi, asked as she reached level with him. The other two trailed behind, quiet but attentive.

"The officials arriving are higher ranked than we planned for, and now we're scrambling. Worse, one of them is probably a royal family member."

He heard a hiss behind him but ignored it.

"We're gathering anything high enough quality for them to swap out. In the meantime, I have half an hour to get into court attire and get back to the gate to greet the party. I can't do that alone."

"Of course, Lord Madara," Anzu, another active-duty roster, agreed to the unspoken order.

Together, the three women helped Madara strip. Then, while one went to fetch the requested outfit, another began the arduous process of brushing out and pinning back his hair, and the last took a wet cloth and wiped off the worst of the day's sweat.

Anzu and Dai laid out the multiple layers of his kimono on his bed. When there was a break in Nami taming his hair, they held out his hadajuban for him to slip into and then his nagajuban. They had to wait ten minutes while Nami sat him in a chair and completed the finishing touches on his hair. When his mane was as tame as it was going to get in fifteen minutes, Nami held it up off his neck, and they helped him into his formal kimono. Before too long, he was belted and slipping into socks and his leather zori sandals.

With thanks thrown over his shoulder, he hurried out of the house and rushed to the gate. All along the main routes he passed further in, he saw cleared streets. Glad that Izuna could get the village to cooperate on such short notice, he allowed himself to breathe for a long moment.

Since the Uchihas lived further away from the entrance, he was the last to arrive. For a second, he was annoyed that he hadn't beaten Hashirama, but Mito probably had everything to do with that. The larger man had been stuffed into his outfit more quickly than Madara had, judging by how he was still adjusting the line and laying off the cloth. The Whirlpool princess stood beside her husband, fiddling with his hair, regal yet delicate looking in the afternoon light, and shot Madara an approving glance as he settled in on Hashirama's other side.

"Looking good, Madara," the village leader complimented.

Mito gently slapped her fan into her husband's side in rebuke, and the man quickly snapped his mouth shut and turned his attention forward. The Uchiha clocked Shikamoto's little cousin, Kohaku, loitering nearby and assumed he was the shinobi selected to run the results of which flower to choose back to the delegation's accommodations. Smart, since the kid was great at sniffing out intelligence and quick when he wanted to be.

While the village leadership, the Hokage and Madara, welcomed the caravan at the gate, it was decided that the clan heads would gather at the temporary housing. The only exception was Inojiro, who stood a step behind and to the side, holding a bundle of red camellias for the Daimyo's relative.

They spotted the convoy in the distance a quarter of an hour later. As it drew closer, it became apparent that most of the hired shinobi guards had dropped off at some point in the past forty-five minutes. There were only half a dozen or so, most of them being Hatake with their distinctive coloring. In his mind, Madara noted that the Aburame escort was utterly absent.

The guards marched in, leading the two men riding horseback. From their positions atop their steeds, both looked to be on the wrong side of middle age. Their scalps were streaked with grey, and creases began to carve themselves into skin. Both men rode with straight backs, heads held high, and dressed in high-quality clothing. However, the one on the right caught the Uchiha leader's attention.

The man was slightly older than the other, but that age didn't seem to have worn him down. If at all, it made him sharper. He carried himself more assuredly. Even from dozens of feet away, Madara spotted a comfortable lean within the perfect posture. That, and the sword on his hip, spoke to experience riding, probably in the army. Calm brown eyes met his as Madara studied the man.

As the caravan drew to a stop at the base of the gates, Imichi Yamanaka bowed to Hashirama and Madara and then to her father. She stepped to the side and motioned to a court official standing just behind the mounted ministers. The young man, probably no older than thirty, stepped out from his place to greet the village leadership.

"Hokage-sama," he began respectfully, which honestly surprised Madara since the Daimyo had pretty much made his opinion of them known. "I am Lin Liu, assistant secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs —" He turned slightly and motioned to the man Madara had been observing. "Lord Kawakami."

Yoko Kawakami, one of the eleven premier ministers. He'd started as a soldier, rising quickly and joining the capital guard, where he rose even higher. Like most sons of favored officials, he'd been given a token court position as a boon to his father. However, unlike most of his peers, he soon proved that he deserved that role and all other positions he'd acquired after. By all accounts, Kawakami was as shrewd as he was honorable. He'd been working in the Foreign Affairs department for over ten years, leading it for six. Fire country dominated the international stage in large part due to this man.

Madara nodded to Kawakami, happy when the man nodded back with the same degree of respect.

"Beside him is Lord Akihiro Nishimura, Minister for Land, Infrastructure, and Transportation."

Another premier, Nishimura, was less well known. He'd been a soldier, too; most of the court's sons did a stint in the army, but he'd joined one of the administration divisions almost as soon as possible. Not surprising, though, since wealthy lords didn't like their heirs and spares risking themselves. Madara hadn't heard anything outrageous about the man, so he was probably good at his job but not much else.

Lin waved a hand at the party behind him. "With us is Lord Kawakami's wife, Lady Sada, the Minister of Finance, Lord Shunichi Suzuki, and her Ladyship, Reiko Naruhito."

From behind him, Inojiro inhaled sharply, and he spotted when Mito went preternaturally still. Even Hashirama's eyes widened in shock. He didn't blame them. Madara's chakra had flared briefly in equal surprise before he stamped it down.

Reiko Naruhito was the Daimyo's favorite aunt. She'd married his father's youngest brother shortly before the Daimyo's birth. Rumors were that Reiko was as close to a second mother for Fire's ruler as was possible. The former Seishitsu died after giving birth to her second daughter, leaving all three children motherless. The prior Daimyo left their rearing to nannies until Reiko stepped in and convinced the man to allow her to oversee their care. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he had agreed.

After only a couple of years, most considered her the unofficial Lady of the Court. Since the Daimyo hadn't remarried, there wasn't anyone to fill that role, and entire branches of the palace and government began to suffer. She stepped into that position and brought order back to the palace with her husband's support. Reiko quickly gained the trust and ear of her brother-in-law, as well as the affection of his children. So much so that whenever the Daimyo went on extended diplomatic trips, he left his brother and sister-in-law as regents for his young son and heir.

Very few people were foolish enough to believe that the Daimyo's brother was running things, though. He acted as a mouthpiece when needed but was smart enough to let his wife steer the helm. As much a royal as his older brother, he hadn't inherited the drive or ambition needed to sit on the throne. Which seemed to be why the prior Daimyo cherished that sibling compared to the others.

With her husband's easygoing nature and the Daimyo's public affection for his sister-in-law, Reiko carved out a small kingdom for herself. Her nephew, too young to rule but old enough to understand politics, backed her and was rewarded with staunch loyalty and one of the best advisors he could ever hope to have at his side. His aunt, savvy and ambitious as she was, loved her family more than anything. Court ministers who scoffed at a woman in power soon shook their heads in chagrin as she used her reputation and connections to solidify her nephew's position long before he wore the crown.

Reiko's most significant achievement with all that power at her fingertips, however, was the weakening of gender standards within the civilian court. While none of the premier ministers, the eleven divisional ministers who lead the Daimyo's uppermost advisory council, were women, there were more and more in lower levels each year that passed. Wives and daughters of the court had far more freedom than they had ever had before. While not of completely equal status yet, they had autonomy that only kunoichi had previously received. Above all that, though, was the hard-won acknowledgment for the fairer sex Reiko had spent close to fifty years drilling into the capital, starting from the top down.

She played a significant role in choosing her nephew's wife while he was still the heir and then spent a considerable amount of time training her in the impending duties of Seishitsu. By all accounts, she'd ensured that her nephew understood how lucky he was to have such an intelligent and beautiful partner by his side. Eventually, Reiko bowed out gracefully and relinquished her place in court to her new niece, taking on lesser support roles. She continued to help her brother-in-law while he was still alive and then her nephew after he ascended twenty-seven years ago.

Then, when her husband died two decades into the new regime, she retired from court affairs. It had been over five years since the Daimyo's aunt had last acted in any official capacity. She'd seemed content to remain in the capital and out of Fire's politics, allowing the Daimyo's wife and eldest daughter to pick up the banner.

What did it mean, then, that she was the one the Daimyo sent with the delegation?

Next to him, Hashirama flinched a little, and he thought he saw Mito shifting her foot away from her husband's. That jarred Madara out of his contemplation, and he stood a little taller and turned his dark gaze to rest on the royal carriage. He quickly ran through court protocol and turned his attention back to Liu.

"Secretary Liu, we have a welcoming gift for Lady Reiko. Would it be acceptable to present it to her before we escort you all to your accommodations?"

Kawakami nodded, even as Liu turned to him for guidance. "It would. Her Ladyship is tired, though, and would rather remain in her coach."

Hashirama perked up, excited about the chance to hand over the flowers to their honored guest, but Mito cut in before he could shift from his spot.

"Husband," she said pleasantly, "why don't Madara and I greet Lady Reiko while you discuss logistics with Minister Kawakami? I'm sure the delegation would greatly appreciate the chance to rest from their journey."

There was a brief hesitation, almost unnoticeable, but then the Hokage nodded in agreement with his wife. He stepped aside to motion to Inojiro and the flowers he held. Liu moved forward to inspect the bouquet and nodded up at Kawakami when he deemed them safe. Mito gently transferred the flowers to her left arm and grasped Madara's bicep with her free hand. With a smile and tip of her head towards Hashirama, she nudged the Uchiha clan head towards the line of carriages.

One of the soldiers standing guard rapped the door of Reiko's carriage as they drew near. After they came to a stop, the door opened, and a young woman, clearly a lady's maid by dress and hairstyle, climbed out. She bowed to them and then reached forward to accept the gift on her mistress's behalf.

Reiko sat on the far side of the cabin in the shadows, avoiding the glare of the afternoon sun as it spilled in through the open door. She was dressed in understated clothing with her hair in a plain braid, yet still opulent compared to the rest of the travel party. It was obvious she had experience balancing optics with practicality. A week in a stuffy carriage was difficult enough without adding court finery into the mix.

Madara bowed to the woman, Mito doing the same alongside him. "Lady Reiko, you honor us with your presence."

An intelligent gaze studied him for a long moment before a heavily silver-streaked head bobbed slightly in greeting. She nodded at Mito as well. "Lord Uchiha. Lady Senju. Your kind greeting and thoughtful gift are appreciated. I apologize for not meeting you on a proper footing, but I'm out of practice regarding long trips."

"Understandable, your Ladyship," he assuaged. "There will be time enough for conversation. Right now, let us escort you to your temporary housing and see to your comfort."

"Much appreciated, Lord Uchiha." Her expression was placid as she motioned toward the inside of the carriage. "Lady Senju, would you care to ride with me?"

That startled the Uzumaki, and she visibly wavered before propriety asserted itself. She nodded and took the hand Madara held out to her. Careful of her long skirts, Mito climbed into the dark cabin and sat on the opposite bench as the Daimyo's aunt. Reiko smiled at her and then glanced back to Madara.

"Would you be troubled to walk alongside? I'd love to know more about your village. I understand if you must join your Hokage, however."

Madara shook his head and motioned towards the lurking Kohaku. The Nara glided forward, bowed his head to their guest, and waited for instruction. Madara waved a hand at the flowers the maid was still holding.

"Inform Lord Hokage that his wife and I are escorting Lady Reiko. Then, take these and run to the house." He looked back to Reiko. "Would you like them set up in your room or parlor?"

The older woman smiled again, this time with a knowing and approving glint in her eye. "Parlor. I love a good camellia but prefer something a little less eye-catching where I sleep."

Mito's lips turned up. "Then I'm pleased to tell you that there are lilies waiting for you as well."

Reiko's attention snapped to the redhead and stared her down for an exceedingly uncomfortable breath before the woman's expression softened in a way it hadn't been before. "My husband loved lilies."

"I remember. My family visited once when I was little. Lord Katsura was kind enough to show us the palace gardens while my father spoke with His Eminence. He spent quite a while arguing with my little sister about the merits of different flowers and drew her a picture of a lily before we left."

A little laugh escaped Reiko before she could stop it, and then she shook her head fondly. "That sounds like something my Katsu would do."

"He was very kind to us when he didn't need to be."

Kohaku took the opportunity to disengage and head off to where Hashirama stood with Liu and the two now-dismounted ministers. It was smooth, and Madara made a mental note to commend Shikamoto on his clansman's tact. Hopefully, they would finish last-minute details shortly to get the caravan moving. Leadership and the clan heads would need to discuss a change in tactics for the upcoming meetings with the Daimyo's representatives. There would be much less room for pushback with Reiko and three premier ministers heading the delegation.

The woman in question brought Madara's attention back to the coach. The Daimyo's aunt spoke wistfully and with a sadness eased by time. "My husband was a gentle soul. He enjoyed the softer side of politics, the parts that lacked pretense and hidden motives. In another world, he would have done well as an artist."

"I'm sorry for his death," Mito said genuinely.

Reiko gave a sad little smile but shook her head. "Thank you, but it was simply his time. Katsuya was my senior by twenty years. We both knew he'd leave before I did."

Neither ninja knew how to respond tactfully to that, so they left it there and changed the subject. The three chatted about safe topics - the weather, the trip, general news from the capital - for close to another ten minutes before the carriages in front of them began to roll forward. Madara shut the cabin's door, and Mito raised the drawn shade so they could continue to converse.

The trek to the delegation's housing took about fifteen minutes, what with the slow pace of the horses and wagons. Madara gave her a brief overview of the village as they walked and answered the few questions Reiko had. Finally, they arrived at the Hyuuga compound, and the four carriages were pulled to a stop in front of the house. Madara moved to the far side of the coach and opened the door for Reiko and Mito to exit. He held out his hand for each lady and bowed his head as the older woman slid her smooth, dry palm into his.

"Thank you, Lord Uchiha." Reiko climbed down, the motions graceful in a way only the well-trained could achieve.

After she was firmly on the ground, she looked up at the wooden construction and took in the detail, assessing it for subpar construction. Madara was never more thankful at that moment for Hashirama's habitual need to over-embellish his creations. While they had planned for a lower-ranking political party, the Senju had decorated the house inside and out as if the Daimyo himself were staying there.

"Lovely," Reiko judged. "I understand this is a temporary dwelling?"

Mito nodded. "Lord Hyuuga was generous in volunteering this place for the time being, but his clan is expanding, and he's thus earmarked the land for the newest generation."

"Wise of him," Reiko complimented.

Haruko, who had been in hearing range, puffed up like a pigeon. Choko, who had been standing beside him as the other noble clan leader, barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. When the royal visitor turned her attention to the waiting party, they both stepped forward and bowed. The remaining clan heads, standing in a second row behind them, also bowed.

"Lady Reiko, you honor us," the two clan heads intoned together.

"Lady Akamichi, Lord Hyuuga. Thank you for your greetings."

Haruko straightened and waved a hand at the house behind him. "Please, Lady, allow me to show you your accommodations."

Reiko smiled but waved his offer away. "I'm sure you all have other, more important, matters to attend to." She then turned her attention to Hashirama, who had approached as Hyuuga spoke. "If you can spare your wife, Lord Hokage, and if Lady Mito agrees, she can give us the tour. I'd love to catch up about how things are in Whirlpool."

Hashirama brightened, grin wide and bright. "Of course, your Ladyship! We'd be honored."

Mito nodded as well and smiled at her spouse. "I will see you later then, Husband?"

"Yes," he agreed with an enthusiastic bob of his head, his eyes brimming with affection. "If I make it home before you, I'll start dinner. Have fun, my love!"

The Daimyo's aunt, casually watching the interaction, glanced away at that. Madara caught a feint sheen to her eyes and cleared his throat, politely turning attention away from the married couple.

"We will leave you all then. If you need anything, please let us know. There will be a constant rotation of guards, and they will be at your service if needed. I'm sure your protection detail will be enough, but your safety is paramount."

"Thank you, Lord Madara," came from behind him.

Madara turned to see Kawakami standing there. He had split away from Nishimura at some point and gone around to help the woman who had to be his spouse down. Lady Sada stood beside her husband, a dainty hand resting on the Foreign Affairs minister's arm. She was striking, even though she was clearly tired from the road. Black glossy hair, tall and willowy, pale complexion, and a rich brown gaze drew attention, and Kawakami lifted his other hand to cover his wife's where it rested on his bicep.

"I'm sure Aoi would be willing to spend some time discussing duty rosters with the point person for Konaha's guard."

At the mention of her name, a kunoichi strolled over from where she had been leaning on another member of the protection detail. She was obviously Hatake and dressed in fighting leathers of the standard wolf runner, much like Daisuke had been. Aoi was on the shorter side but stocky in a way that most kunoichi weren't, save Touka. The large sword strapped to her hip helped explain why that was the case. However, the most striking thing was her sharp black eyes as they examined the group, specifically when they fell on him and Hashirama.

"Hey," she greeted. "Point me to who's in charge, and we'll knock our heads together."

"That would be my brother, Izuna," Madara provided, steeling himself to meet that penetrating stare again. "He should be here shortly. He was clearing the streets to allow your cavalcade through."

"Ah," she nodded. "I'll keep an eye out for him then."

"We'll leave you to it," Madara said politely. "Let us know if you need anything. Otherwise, we'll meet the morning after tomorrow."

Reiko nodded and then began to make her way towards the house, everyone bowing as she passed. Kawakami and Sada walked after her, with the remaining two ministers, Nishimura and Suzuki, who had been squirreled away in his carriage up until then, following along behind.

After the main party was ensconced in their lodgings, the servants and guards began unpacking. The non-Konaha ninja spread out to study the area and determine the best places to station themselves. Aoi remained behind, moving to lean against Lady Sada's coach while she waited for Izuna to arrive.

The clan heads all followed the silent command to convene immediately at the tower to discuss what they were going to do about this latest power play by their ruler.

Chapter Text

A day and a half later, the delegation party was escorted into Hokage Tower. Aoi and another member of their guard accompanied them into Hashirama's cleared-out office, which was acting as their meeting space. Since the usual conference room was too cramped for larger, extended gatherings, it was decided that the Hokage's office would be sacrificed for the week they'd need to spend with the Daimyo's people. With four top-tier court officials in residence, making the venue as pleasant as possible wouldn't hurt. So, the office furniture was moved out.

Twenty people were attending, excluding guards, who came from varying social backgrounds and needed to be carefully positioned to avoid offending status and etiquette. It had been a headache to finagle. Mito, although not a formal member of the leadership and therefore not attending, helped with the arrangements. She suggested giving each person their own table to sit at, which could then be repositioned as needed until the seating plan was finalized. The final solution was to create an open-ended triangle for the prominent members. The delegation sat on one side, with the Hokage and clan leaders taking the other two, with a row behind them reserved for the clan heirs.

Reiko would take point and center on the delegation side, with Kawakami on her right and his wife next to him. Nishimura would be on Reiko's left, with Suzuki to the left of that. Flanking the Finance Minister would be Shimiji Inuzuka and then Touka Senju. Next, closer to the center of the downward point, was Haruko Hyuuga, the head of a noble clan. Next to him, in the last spot on that side, sat the Hokage. Madara Uchiha, as both the leader of another noble clan and the second founder of the village, mirrored Hashirama's position. Next to him was Choko Akimichi, the third and last noble clan leader, with Shikamoto Nara and Inojiro Yamanaka sitting to her left.

The clan heirs sat in a straight line behind Madara and Hashirama, their positions mirroring those of their clan leaders. From left to right: Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, Uchiha, Hyuuga, Senju, and Inuzuka. Izuna's table sat in the downward point's opening between his brother and the Hokage, which lined him up perfectly with Reiko's table.

Having an empty place wouldn't be a good look for the Senju clan, so a well-respected career soldier had been selected to fill that seat for the talks. Takeo, like the official heirs, knew his role was more as a witness than a participant. Which he was fine with. He only agreed to sit in because Touka had been desperate and refused to agree to Hashirama's suggestions for a proper candidate.

A larger table, where Lin Liu sat, was positioned off to the side, slightly behind Suzuki. Littering its surface were stacks and stacks of paper. Some were blank, but most were filled with the elegant and precise calligraphy of court stenographers. A bundle of three large, decorated scrolls was also sitting in an open wooden box below the table. No doubt meant to be what the final contracts would be written on.

The two foreign shinobi were positioned on either side of the large window behind the representatives, giving them a clear view of the room and everyone in it. They were there for protection only and wouldn't participate further than that. While alert, both were relaxed enough to indicate they weren't expecting trouble.

"Thank you, Lady Reiko, once again for your honorable presence," Hashirama said as he bowed slightly in his seat.

The Senju, while not technically noble, were wealthy and influential enough to pretend they were and get away with it, usually. Because of that, at times, the bark-brain seemed as knowledgeable as any noble. However, as heir and then later clan leader, the other man had always remarked that he hated having to curtail his natural enthusiasm in favor of 'stuffy, boring, prissy pretentiousness'. Personally, Madara felt that his friend would be better off if he acted more 'stuffy' and 'boring' instead of bouncing around and throwing himself at others in crying fits.

Remembering all that, Madara was honestly unsure if Hashirama had had to be coached on proper decorum in the last day or not. Hopefully, their leader would be able to observe appropriate propriety, seeing as no one could intercede on his behalf too blatantly. As Hokage, Hashirama would be their ultimate reflection taken back to the Daimyo. The clan leaders were only there so the village could understand their roles in this play and return the facts and expectations to their people.

Reiko nodded in acceptance of Hashirama's praise and motioned toward Kawakami. "Lord Minister of Foreign Affairs will lead this. I am here as a direct representative of the Daimyo. If negotiations are requested, I am invested with his Lordship's full authority."

Hashirama swallowed once, his Adam's apple bobbing from the motion. "Ah."

Typically, a royal member would be an elevated dignitary, reserved for delicate situations or where good faith is required. However, in this circumstance, invested with the Fire Lord's authority, there was no difference between Reiko and the Daimyo himself. She acted with his full backing, and her judgment would be as official as if it came from the man himself. The Fire Lord rarely trusted anyone with that level of power since he'd be obligated to defend the determination. After all, no one wanted to admit they had made the wrong decision.

"His Lordship felt it was in everyone's best interest if someone was present who could simplify the process and prevent further delays. The Ishaan has agreed to take up your request. Now it is up to the Daimyo's advisors to ensure Konoha is positioned for success."

"His Lordship is wise indeed," Hashirama murmured flatteringly, eyes downcast.

"He is, Lord Hokage," Suzuki intoned from his seat at the end of the line. His pale blue eyes narrowed as he stared at Hashirama. "He is also far more patient than many others would be in his place."

"Lord Shunichi," Kawakami murmured, shutting the Finance Minister up momentarily. "His Lordship has appointed us as his voice, not to rehash grievances. Scratching flesh serves no purpose when we're all the same beast."

"That's well and good," the Finance Minister responded snidely, "if the beast's limbs were in accordance."

"It is not-" Nishimura began to interject.

"Enough." Reiko hadn't raised her voice, but Suzuki immediately backed down, even if it was done sullenly. "We have a lot of ground to cover and little time to do so if everything is to be ready for the Ishaan’s arrival. Lord Yoko?"

Kawakami nodded at the Daimyo's aunt respectfully and then turned his attention to the Konoha contingent. "Firstly, while it could have been said more politely, Lord Shunichi has a point."

Suzuki lightened a bit at that, the grumpiness fading slightly to take on a vindicated expression. However, Kawakami continued before the man could jump back in.

"There is an ingrained pattern between us to view the other side as something other, peculiar even. The court is composed of civilians, and civilians tend to view shinobi as an oddity. We like to keep what is different at arm's length.

"However, the prejudice goes both ways. Do not pretend it doesn't. You have a different culture that you submerse yourself in, and we are excluded from it by nature. It is no secret to the Daimyo and higher court that shinobi view us as annoyances, something you must humor."

It wasn't meant to be hostile. Kawakami's tone was polite and respectful as he pointed out what he considered to be simple truths. Madara's respect for the man increased. The minister swept his piercing gaze over the clan leaders before continuing in a pleasant tone.

"This situation Konoha finds itself in is not one rooted in 'Them versus Us'. Yes, the village is predominantly ninja, comprising Fire Country's shinobi clans. However, what has been made clear is that if our shinobi suffer, so do our civilians. We may come from different backgrounds and walks of life, but we are still the same people. What impacts one impacts all."

Nishimura chimed in. "You have done an admirable job in banding clans together to ensure the collective well-being of your families. However, it is obvious that while the idea was thought out, the execution was, well-"

"Was a complete failure!" Suzuki interrupted, smacking his hand down onto his desk in agitation. "A seven and a half billion ryo failure!"

Kawakami rose from his seat and turned his full attention to the other minister. "If you cannot comport yourself as expected, Lord Shunichi, you will leave."

Suzuki's face flushed an ugly color, and his lips thinned in anger. "How dare you?! You may lead this delegation, but you do not have the power to order me around."

"Would you step out for the morning, Lord Shunichi? You will be summoned if your expertise is needed."

Though phrased as a polite request, it was anything but. Reiko kept her gaze down, focused on the blank parchment on the work surface in front of her, unbothered by the unbecoming outburst of one of the Daimyo's ministers. Her expression was placid and posture regal, even as wrinkled fingers nudged a pen here and there on the desktop.

Suzuki's flush deepened momentarily before he gathered his composure and nodded to the woman. He stood, bowed deeply to her in apology for the fit of temper, and then stiffly left the room. Aoi discreetly motioned to her companion with a finger, and the other ninja followed the Finance Minister out of the room. Most likely, he'd escort the man back to the house. Either he would return after, or another guard would be sent to take his place.

"Lord Shunichi is the central fiscal officer for Fire's coffers. It is ultimately his responsibility to oversee the country's liquidity." Reiko raised her eyes to meet Hashirama's. "He's always been militant about what he deems grandiose spending. Please forgive his lapse in decorum."

Hashirama swallowed again and then nodded. There was nothing else he could do but that. Even if it was done in the rudest way possible, throwing the Daimyo's loan in their faces was to be expected. Just not this quickly into the proceedings.

Lady Sada, quiet and still up till then, reached over to touch her husband's hand. Lord Kawakami was startled and looked down at his wife, the vague irritation bleeding away as he did so. She smiled at him as he maneuvered his hand to hold hers for a brief moment and tugged gently. The man sank back down into his seat and breathed deeply before returning to business.

"Let us cut to the chase." He folded his hands together on the tabletop. "Konoha is a valuable asset to the Daimyo, to Fire as a whole. While it is your home, it also serves as a safety net for the country. While the Daimyo allowed its creation because he could see the benefit of lasting peace between his shinobi clans, he bankrolled it because of the return on investment.

"Together, your village has the potential to bring in more income than what each of your clans achieved independently combined. More so, having a unified shinobi force would create a greater sense of security for the country. The Daimyo has no intention of supplementing his forces with ninja, but it's always been the case that the clans stand as a deterrent and last line of defense. With peace between you, there are more of you to act as that line of defense. Also..."

He hesitated for a brief moment, eyes darting between Hashirama and Madara, and then continued. "With the Senju and Uchiha at peace, the capital doesn't have to worry about the annual damages and complaints created by your fighting. We also don't have the concern of one clan being wiped out and the other no longer being held in check."

"That is very bold of you to admit," Madara voiced thinly.

While he knew the Daimyo liked to play the Uchiha against the Senju sometimes, it had never gotten to the point of instigating the two clans into full-blown war. They had done that all on their own. With the two most powerful Fire clans intent on killing each other, it made sense that the Daimyo was concerned about one of them succeeding in their goal. Madara knew Tajima would press the capital for better tax and trade rates if the Uchihas won out. He could only guess what someone like Butsuma would have done.

"It's the truth," the minister admitted. "While the Daimyo couldn't create peace between you, he's been prepared to capitalize on it if you did. A sign of a good ruler is taking advantage of opportunities when presented. Is that not also something shinobi prescribe to?"

The Uchiha leader nodded, admitting to it easily.

"The Daimyo invested in your village because he saw the economic and military benefits to it. The initial investment of seven billion ryo was estimated to be recouped in just under thirty years. As with all first-time endeavors, there were delays and growing pains to be expected, and that was built into the repayment scale." Kawakami motioned to a scroll that sat in front of him. Interestingly, the Infrastructure Minister also had it, but none of the others did. "This, however, is far beyond what was expected and deemed acceptable. Konoha is simply falling apart physically. The Daimyo won't recoup even a third of his expenditure as it stands. And that's assuming the village remains barely functional.

"Something must be done to salvage this situation. And as I stated at the beginning, it is not 'us versus them'. Yes, there are very different motivations for wanting this village to survive, but ultimately, we all want it to prosper. Regardless of where we come from, all of Fire is invested in your success."

Nishimura tapped his matching scroll with a finger. "Lord Uzumaki was wise to suggest the Ishaan. While he hasn't handled a contract on this scope before, it's within his ability to at least get things started."

"Lord Nishimura," Choko spoke up, careful to keep her tone and expression polite, "may I ask a question?"

The minister nodded and waved a hand in her direction.

"You have worked with this man before. What qualifications does he have to oversee a project such as this? Surely, he'd be a celebrated member of our Lord's court by now if he were an official architect or engineer."

Nishimura and Kawakami shared a loaded glance over Reiko's head, silently conversing about how to answer her question. Finally, Kawakami determined the best response. He looked back at Choko and let out a quick exhale.

"The Ishaan has attended several council meetings over the years. At the Daimyo's behest, he was tasked with advising on the best course of action for each main division's current problems. It was an ongoing and in-depth test to prove his breadth of knowledge and capability. Any feasible solution was put into practice with the understanding he would be held responsible for its failure. Only once did his solution fail, and that was due to a deliberate breakdown in communication within the implementation team. During each test, Ishaan openly admitted to areas where he wasn't knowledgeable, but still provided any insight he gleaned from the various reports. Those insights, although not groundbreaking, were still helpful in identifying areas for improvement. He's proved his competency to the Daimyo."

Kawakami waved a hand at Choko. "Rest assured, Lady Akimichi. If the Ishaan believes he is not capable of the work, he will admit to it and help find someone who is."

Madara leaned forward slightly. "And that is in the contract?"

"It is," the minister agreed. "At his insistence."

"That's generous of him."

"It is, but that wasn't the reason for that clause. The Ishaan’s entire profession is based on following through on his agreements. It's about providing positive results. Lying about his capabilities or attempting a solution that very well may fail would be detrimental to his reputation. He prioritizes the success of a resolution, not whether he's the one to provide it. Even if he can't do the job, he'll make sure the job still gets done."

"And has that happened?" Shikamoto chimed in, trying to mine as much information about this stranger as possible.

"Yes," Kawakami admitted easily. "In both Fire, Wind, and Jungles."

"May we ask about those times?" the shadow master pressed.

The Foreign Affairs minister motioned to Nishimura, who took over. "We can't provide specifics, of course, but there were two contracts in Fire that had to be renegotiated. One was dealing with trade negotiations, and the other was a private, sensitive matter within the upper court. The Ishaan decided he was more of a hindrance than anything else. In both situations, he did his due diligence and found a suitable replacement that could connect more effectively with the involved parties. He facilitated the handover and then bowed out. Both issues were resolved satisfactorily after that.

"Wind was early on in the Ishaan’s employment with them. The Wind Daimyo demanded a certain number of completed works, and the Ishaan felt he was being taken advantage of. He completed seven of the eight projects and then left. The Wind Daimyo was quite unhappy with him."

Several of the ninjas in the room inhaled sharply at that. No one, no one, got away with such blatant disrespect to a nation's ruler. There were always repercussions, nasty ones at that. They'd be lucky if they spent the rest of their life in prison.

"And what happened after that?" Hyuuga asked, scandalized.

Trained as they were, every Konoha shinobi caught the tiny quirk of Reiko's lips before it disappeared.

Nishimura sat a little straighter. "The Wind Daimyo pressed the Fire and Lightning Daimyo to agree to punish the Ishaan. However, his Lordship requested the full details of what happened before he would agree to anything. The Ishaan, after all, is not one to shirk his responsibilities. When Wind balked, Lightning insisted. Wind had no choice but to concede.

"It turns out the Wind Daimyo was trying to extort free labor from the Ishaan. The Ishaan had already completed three of the projects before the contract was signed, and he interpreted them to be included in the finalized eight. The Wind Daimyo protested and insisted that only those completed after the contract was finalized could be counted. Lightning and Fire both ruled in Ishaan’s favor. They even made Wind update the contract to increase the per-project fee, payable retroactively for the two additional undertakings."

"I'm surprised Wind agreed to work with him again," Shimiji grunted.

Nishimura smirked. "Well, he couldn't claim breach of contract when not only was the contract not specific enough, but the Ishaan then completed an additional oasis for free on his way out of the country to thumb his nose at the Daimyo."

The room stilled, the only sound being Haru choking on his tea. Madara felt Izuna's stare piercing his back, but he refused to turn around.

"..." Hashirama cleared his throat. "Lord Nishimura, you mean that the Ishaan created the new oases we've heard about?"

"Oh yes," the man agreed pleasantly. "It turns out there's water buried so deep underground that most means of locating it are useless. The Ishaan was able to find the pockets of water and taught Wind's engineers how to draw it to the surface. They now have a more reliable caravan route through the desert that can be responsibly sustained for the next decade or so before they need to worry about finding a new location."

"And Jungles?" Inojiro inquired faintly.

"We're not sure about that one. That was a classified project. All we know is that the Ishaan couldn't fulfill the expectations. The Jungle Daimyo didn't appear to hold it against him, however. He's completed work for them after that with no issue."

"This Ishaan holds a great deal of trust across the countries." Shikamoto began to broach the first genuine concern they had about inviting this person into their village.

Kawakami waved his hand again. "I cannot speak for other countries, but the Ishaan has earned that trust from our Lord. They had known of each other for twenty years, but it was only this past decade that the Ishaan had begun to perform work for the Daimyo directly. He's reliable and circumspect, rare qualities to find in most anyone these days."

Madara flared his chakra at Hashirama, getting a curious glance in reply. He idly tapped his fingers on the table once and hoped his friend picked up on the subtle sign. Shikamoto caught it and, when Hashirama didn't seem to understand the cue, used his ability to manipulate the shadows on the Hokage's desk to spell out 'bow'.

The Senju frowned as he stared down at the word, unsure of what it meant, and Kawakami looked at him curiously.

"Are you alright, Lord Hokage? Do you have concerns about the Ishaan?"

Hashirama's head jerked upright, and his eyes widened. "No! No, certainly not. Why shouldn't we trust our Lord's opinion of someone he respects? No, I'm just contemplating how to properly show our gratitude to the Daimyo for his continued support. The Ishaan seems to be in high demand, and our Lord clearly put a great deal of effort into asking him to take us on."

"You can show your gratitude by taking advantage of this opportunity," Kawakami remarked.

"We plan to, Lord Kawakami," Hashirama pledged.

The lead politician nodded, even as he signaled Lin Liu. "Good. Let's get to work then."

Liu stood from his seat and moved to gather a thick stack of crisscrossed packets. He laid a copy down in front of the envoys before moving to do the same to the clan leaders and then heirs.

"As Lady Reiko said, we have a lot of ground to cover. Let's start with the basics."

Madara stared at the papers in front of him, guessing the pile had to be at least twenty pages long, and bit back a groan of frustration.

Chapter Text

"The Ishaan's contract is unique." Kawakami tapped the packet in front of him. "His is the only one of this nature that we're aware of. It not only outlines the traditional obligations and payment structures pertaining to services rendered, but it also lays the groundwork that defines the Ishaan's position and the protections therein internationally.

"The Ishaan works across borders, irrelevant to political or martial affiliation. The services he renders are of such an impact that the Daimyo of the major nations proactively negotiated what amounts to an isolated neutrality agreement. One that, so far, has not needed to be enforced."

Choko's hands stilled their perusal of her papers at that and looked up at the man. "Isolated how?"

"The Ishaan, for all intents and purposes, is considered a multinational citizen. He has permanent citizenship in every country whose Daimyo signs the master compact. As such, an offense committed by one signatory nation would necessitate reprisals from all other countries. That freemanship is not tied to his service or the current ruler. Even if he were to retire today, or if the Daimyo dies tomorrow, he'd maintain his citizenship."

Holy shit, Madara thought faintly. A citizen of five nations. Someone so powerful and influential that they were all willing to play nice and share. How was that even sustainable? The lords were mistrustful and greedy on the best of days. Was this man so good at his job that the benefit from what had to be sporadic work outweighed all the liabilities?

"Five..." Hyuuga breathed, eyes wide like many of the other room's occupants.

"Nine, actually," Nishimura chimed in, faint entertainment in his expression. "He's also contracted with Jungels, Stone, River, and Whirlpool. More are going to sign on within the next few months."

Izuna wheezed from his spot behind him. "More..." he whispered, horrified.

The Foreign Affairs Minister allowed that to sink in for another long moment before continuing. "You can imagine then how extraordinary it is that he agreed to suspend all critical work he had lined up across the continent for six months to assist Konoha."

"Six?" Shikamoto's eyes were fixed on Kawakami; something faintly surprised was hiding in that one word.

Nishimura nodded. "The Daimyo acknowledges how difficult this situation is and that the two-month delay was not within your control. He's agreed to reset the clock, effective when the Ishaan takes residence in the village to begin work."

Pure and unadulterated relief flooded the Uchiha clan leader. Every week that went by without progress was another gut punch. Sleep came harder and never lasted more than a handful of hours at a time. He'd toss and turn and then wake, thinking he was back in the old compound as it burned down around him. With the Daimyo's unexpected show of mercy, they had a significantly greater chance of success. Madara felt his shoulders droop as the stress bled out of them.

"The Daimyo is gracious," Inojiro breathed, as relieved as Madara was.

Reiko, quiet until then, nodded at the blonde. "His Lordship, while frustrated, is wise enough to know when leniency is the best method to achieve results. Believe me, he understands the stress you all must be under. He also understands that the problems weren't caused willfully. Konoha was constructed in a year. That level of growth is unheard of, not only in Fire but all the major nations. Even the capital grew over time. No one is condemning you for trying. Not when you've overcome a barrier that, until five years ago, everyone thought was insurmountable."

She locked eyes with Hashirama before sliding them to land on Madara. "You convinced your enemies to join you, not as allies, but as friends."

"Family," Hashirama corrected, wincing as he registered what he'd just done. "Sorry."

Reiko chuckled a little, seemingly unbothered by his interjection. "Family, then. Yes, of course, my nephew would prefer not to be involved in this. He's busy enough as it is governing Fire's civilian population. The crown tends to trust the Shinobi clans to behave themselves. However, that doesn't mean he turns a blind eye to it. As Lord Yoko said, we are all one people. What hurts one hurts all."

"I imagine the Ishaan is giving up a great deal to take this contract on," Shikamoto said.

Reiko nodded. "He is. There were several contracts that he had to renegotiate, either the start date or the scope of work, to complete them simultaneously with this job. For others, he simply had to cancel outright. Luckily, with most of his smaller engagements, the client is willing to come to him."

Madara sat forward at that. "We'll need to discuss security procedures if he's going to be bringing in foreigners. We can't have strangers wandering around unchecked."

Kawakami shook his head. "No, the Ishaan already argued that point with our Lord. As a stipulation to agreeing, the Daimyo consented to build a secondary estate a day's travel from here. The Ishaan will meet most outside clients there to avoid potential security breaches."

"That's..." Shimiji struggled to find the words needed to finish her sentence.

Kawakami smirked a little at the Inuzuka. "Believe me, Inuzuka-san, it's not charity. The Ishaan framed it in a way that would be more beneficial to the Daimyo than costly. His Lordship is as invested in Konoha's survival as you are. He was willing to sweeten the pot to get the Ishaan's help."

"May we inquire as to what he agreed to?" Hyuuga prodded carefully.

The lead minister glanced at the Daimyo's aunt, who pursed her lips before answering just as carefully. "You may, but most of it doesn't pertain to Konoha specifically. The secondary estate does, since it impacts your security. Most of the other things are political gaming, which would smooth the way for the Ishaan to complete jobs for other countries. We can't discuss most of that. We can only mention the honor guard and the conference the Ishaan agreed to facilitate three months from now."

"What conference is that?" The Yamanaka leader inquired, curiosity outweighing caution.

Kawakami cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him. "In three months, ten of the minor countries will come together to sign an international nonaggression pact. Whirlpool has been spearheading the effort for over half a year at the Ishaan's direction."

Hashirama lit up, a broad smile splitting his face as sparkles materialized out of thin air around him. "A peace treaty?! Is he helping to create peace between the countries? How wonderful! Oh, I'm so looking forward to meeting him now! He must be a very kind and thoughtful person."

Madara fought against banging his head on his desk and closed his eyes for a second. It was so like his friend to forget decorum when eager. While usually endearing, even though Madara would vehemently deny it, it was potentially detrimental in this scenario when they needed to appear calm and collected. Why did Hashirama have to be so excitable?

"Wait..." Shimiji piped up. "So the Ishaan is facilitating this treaty signing?"

"Yes," the minister affirmed, eyeing the sparkles around the Hokage as he did so.

The Inuzuka clan head leaned forward onto her elbows and frowned at the man. "So does that mean that he'll be leaving the village? Where will this conference be?"

Kawakami pulled his attention away from where it had been caught and looked at the kunoichi. "It will be at the secondary estate. The Daimyo agreed to host the conference and lend validity to the event."

"Hold on." Madara's gaze sharpened. "Are you implying that Fire will also be signing this pact?"

Kawakami nodded. "Yes. That was actually the major concession that convinced the Ishaan to take this contract. And, with Fire comes Lightning. Of course, Wind will most likely attend if Fire and Lightning do, even though it would be superfluous."

This time, the wheezing came from multiple directions, including Madara himself. However, the noise from Hashirama was more akin to the muffled shrieking you hear from children after being handed a giant present. The Hokage was squirming in his seat, the sparkles being joined by exploding heart-shaped fireworks, which were impressive since the Senju wasn't all that talented at genjutsu.

"So," Choko spoke up faintly, long conditioned to their leader's dramatics, "Three of the five major countries will be signing?"

Kawakami tipped his head in consideration. "Earth signed the earliest version of this nonaggression pact months ago. Wind followed shortly after. That's what prompted Whirlpool to reach out to the minor countries. Fire agreed to sign to secure this contract, and Lightning will most likely follow suit because Fire will. With four of the five, Water would probably sign simply so they're not excluded."

Hashirama couldn't contain himself any longer. He clapped his hands and laughed in gayity. Tiny seedlings began to sprout around him as he did so. "Fifteen! Fifteen countries agreeing to peace."

Nishimura's nose wrinkled, and Lady Sada blinked rapidly as the sprouts moved closer to the representatives' tables. Lin cleared his throat nervously, and Kawakami and Reiko eyed the greenery warily. The foliage closest to the mokuton user began to blossom, the chaos increasing as more and more buds grew and opened until it appeared as a wave of flowers rushing outwards in all directions.

The Konoha shinobi were used to flowers spontaneously bursting into life around Hashirama, but the other six people in the room were not. Kawakami quickly stood at the approaching floral tide and pulled his wife up and away towards the room's windows, where Aoi was standing in shock. Nishimura, seeing his peer's quick action, stood as well. With Kawakami, the two ministers rushed to lift a wide-eyed Reiko off the floor to get the older woman away from potential danger. Poor Lin squawked and climbed onto the table.

"Lord Hokage!" Haruko barked, reaching over to backhand the man's chest.

The impact was harsh and had the intended effect. The bigger man's breath was knocked out of him, startling him out of his lapse of control. The plants stopped growing immediately, their driving force no longer powering the invasive expansion. With an 'oomph,' Hashirama rocked back in his seat before he rightened himself and turned a massive pout onto the byakugan user.

"Haruko! Why would you do that?! That hurt."

"Because this isn't the place to be growing a flower field!" he snapped, truly livid. "We're in the middle of a serious debriefing that's critical to this village."

Hashirama's pout deepened, and he turned to the rest of the room for support. Instead, when he took in the other occupants, he quickly sobered.

The Daimyo's contingent was pressed up against the outer wall. Aoi, a small flame ignited in her hand, stood in front of Lady Sada. It was clear that the Hatake was ready to set the vegetation alight if necessary. At some point during the few seconds it took for the mess to get out of hand, Sada ended up on a low table under the window. Nishimura, with Reiko pressed behind him, turned partially away to better protect the royal. The quick motion of being scooped from her desk and then passed between the men like a sack of rice loosened her hair's bindings. The entire thing was askew, with sections slowly falling out of place. Kawakami stood before them, his sword partially drawn from its sheath.

On top of all that, Liu's scrabbling knocked half the papers from his table's surface. Sheaves of paper spilled across the floor like blood. Flowers were crushed as scrolls rolled over them. The man's open jar of ink had been knocked over onto the remaining parchment, ruining his notes and, potentially, essential documents.

They hadn't been the only ones to move. Inojiro, the closest to Lady Sada, had been the one to lift the woman onto the table. He hovered beside her, smiling as comfortingly as possible. While he knew the flowers were harmless, rapid Mokuton use was drastic and could be terrifying to anyone not familiar with it.

Touka, suspiciously quiet the entire meeting, didn't seem surprised at the bedlam. Instead, having spent her whole life in close quarters with her cousin, she drained her cup of tea before setting it on the floor beside her. She then carelessly upended her desk and threw the entire thing at Hashirama's head in an exceptional show of strength. Hashirama, so focused on realizing the damage his outburst had done, failed to notice the projectile until it was bearing down on him. As the table collided with his face and chest, it knocked him backward, sending him flying. The heirs in the line of fire dodged quickly enough to avoid 160 pounds of airborne Hokage and turned in time to see the man collide with the office wall.

Hashirama smacked into it so hard it left an indent before he dropped like a sack of rocks. The room's occupants stared at his crumpled form for a second until he let out a high-pitched groan of pain and then turned their gazes onto the Senju leader. Touka, having knabbed Hyuuga's tea in the mayhem, sipped at it pleasantly. Her expression was as tranquil as Madara had ever seen it, and he felt a shiver go down his spine.

"Eugh... ow..." Hashirama gingerly sat up, eyes clenched shut and holding his head in pain. He wobbled slightly, clearly suffering from the blow, and muttered in a woozy voice, "Why'd you have to throw it so hard, Tobi?"

The two Uchiha brothers looked at each other in shock, dark eyes wide as Izuna mouthed 'Tobi' at his elder sibling in disbelief. Madara just shook his head, not knowing how to handle the fact that Tobirama made a habit of throwing furniture at his older brother and clan head. So much so that Touka was able to mimic it well enough that their Hokage confused her with his brother.

"Oops, so sorry. It just slipped."

There wasn't an ounce of sincerity in her words, and it made many of the Konoha contingent want to snigger. They controlled themselves admirably, though, and all rose to begin putting the room to rights.

Touka deposited the appropriated cup down where it belonged before uncurling from her seat in a sleek motion that drew Nishimura's attention. The kunoichi padded over to where Kawakami still stood, guarding Reiko and the other minister. All three of them watched her with varying levels of wariness before their expressions shifted to something closer to admiration as she spoke.

"My apologies, Lady Reiko." She gave an appropriately deep bow, indicating that it wasn't just Hashirama who had been tutored on decorum. "My cousin has always been a bit... manic in his excitement. We discovered early on that startling him is sometimes the only way to end one of his... fits."

Izuna snorted, clearly not expecting that. He stood grouped with the other heirs as they righted the tables in their row and gathered the papers and glasses that went flying when Hashirama did. Shikaichi, the Nara heir, rolled his eyes. It wasn't meant to be seen, what with the Nara turned away, but Madara saw it all the same. He also saw Haru smirk and Chozo's nephew, Chobe, reach over to smack Izuna in the back of the head.

"Oi!" the younger Uchiha complained, rubbing at the contact spot.

"Thought I saw a spider," Chobe explained innocently.

Izuna raised an eyebrow but played along. "I hate spiders."

The Akimichi nodded. "Aren't you glad, then?"

"Hm," his brother agreed reluctantly.

It was at that point that Hashirama's senses came back to him. He popped up and pointed at his cousin in shock. "Touka!"

Touka sighed, the very picture of a pressed-upon relative, and turned her attention to their Hokage. "Yes, Hashirama?"

"You threw a desk at me!"

"I did." Her countenance remained pleasant.

"Why did you throw a desk at me?!"

"Why wouldn't I?" She sniffed and tipped her chin up. "It works."

Before Hashirama could respond, his cheeks puffing out with indignation, a quiet "Now I see it" drew everyone's attention.

Nishimura was staring at Touka, excited as if he'd finally placed a name to a face. He flushed at the sudden interest, cleared his throat, and shuffled awkwardly. Reiko looked between him and Touka, mind seeming to whirl in thought until she, too, picked up on some unknown familiarity. Whatever it was, it made her chuckle, a smooth sound in a deeper register than expected.

"Lord Itou?" she asked him.

The minister snickered and nodded to the Daimyo's aunt. He said in a nasal voice, "That's simply not how it's done."

Reiko's chuckles returned. "At least it was only a table."

That had Akihiro laughing openly, his head tipping to the side slightly and eyes crinkling in mirth. Kawakami and Lady Sada, whom Aoi helped down off the table, stepped over to the snickering pair.

Touka raised a manicured eyebrow at them in question, which seemed to set Nishimura off even further. After a second, the man turned away and covered his mouth to smother the inexplicable laughter. Reiko was trying to stifle her own amusement. The laughter stopped, but her lips quivered, and her eyes danced as she studied the kunoichi more closely.

Lord Yoko watched the spectacle in open confusion. Clearly, the Foreign Affairs Minister was not accustomed to either of his cohorts' loss of composure. However, instead of questioning them, he turned his attention to his wife and ran a critical eye over her, checking for injury.

"I'm fine, Yoko," she assuaged. "Yamanaka-san was diligent. Not even a wrinkle in my kimono."

Something about it grabbed Madara's attention. Years of running essential missions where every detail could matter had his gut kicking up. Instinct was telling him that her voice was familiar. Careful not to draw the dignitaries' attention to himself, he subtly tried to study the woman.

For all that she was an official member of the negotiation party, she'd been unobtrusive and easily overlooked. Initially, Madara thought that she was a token member, a companion for the Daimyo's aunt during talks. But that wasn't the case. She wasn't positioned by the other woman, nor did she hold an official title or role. If anything, she appeared to be here as Kawakami's companion.

Speaking of, Kawakami's attention turned from his wife to rest on Inojiro, who was still hovering nearby. He bowed his head to the clan leader, startling the blond-haired ninja. "You have my thanks, Yamanaka-san."

Inojiro laughed nervously and waved his hands. "No need, no need! It was just habit."

The minister's eyes seemed to sharpen at that, the shrewdness from earlier returning at full force. "Habit?"

The Uchiha leader realized Inojiro's mistake at the same time Inojiro did. The Yamanaka stiffened, and the smile he wore flickered before it solidified into something slightly forced. It wouldn't be clear to most, but for all that he was a civilian, Yoko Kawakami was a top-tier politician and a former high-ranking soldier. You didn't get to his station in life without being able to smell blood in the water.

"Ah," Inojiro prevaricated. "My children are always causing chaos. My poor wife gets run over at least twice a week if I don't lift her out of the way."

"Yoko," Lady Sada interjected before her husband could continue his questioning. She drew Kawakami's attention as intended and smiled at him. "I think it would be a good time to pause for the morning. Don't you? I'm sure Lady Reiko would agree."

Reiko's name being called drew the woman's awareness, and she turned physically to the couple. "Yes, a wonderful idea, Lady Sada."

She gave a small wave at the plant life under her feet. "I'm sure Lord Hokage would also appreciate the chance to transfer his lovely flowers to vases... or even outside."

While intended to be subtle, the rebuke hit the room like a load of bricks. Hashirama winced before deflating like a leaking balloon. Even though he nodded, the big man sank into himself, pressing his index fingers together and kicking at the floor like a sulking toddler. Touka's eye twitched in suppressed irritation with her cousin, and she smiled widely as she looked over at their leader.

"I'll help."

It was faint, but the ninja closest to the Hokage all heard the small whimper the man let out at that. There was no doubt the violence concealed in those two words would make their appearance as soon as the Daimyo's representatives were outside hearing range. Touka was now done with veiled belligerence and moving on to outright hostility. Not that Madara blamed her for it.

"That's very thoughtful, Senju-san," Reiko complimented Touka. Her gaze darted lightning-quick between the two Senju leaders, clan and village, before she settled the full weight of her consideration on the woman. When she spoke next, her tone and posture carried an air of formality that had not been present until that point. "This morning has been very lively. I think it's best we break for an hour or so and then reconvene. A little fresh air and then back to business like nothing happened."

Madara had to hand it to the woman. Reiko was well deserving of her reputation. In two sentences, she'd not only censured a clan head but also downplayed the very act that required the censure, as well as providing that same clan leader immunity from prosecution.

What Touka had done was assault, at the very least. At worst, it was treason. She attacked her village leader in front of other ninjas and capital officials. If Hashirama wished, he could call for her arrest or removal as head of the Senju clan. However, in Reiko's capacity as the Daimyo's direct representative, she held a higher rank than the Hokage. Reiko had indirectly ordered every person in the room to ignore Touka's bad behavior. With the Daimyo's authority, she could enforce that order.

Indeed, even if Hashirama wanted to, which Madara very much doubted he would, the bigger man couldn't seek retribution for his cousin's actions. Even after the party returned to the capital, any action taken against Touka that so much as hinted at reprisal for the table to the face would be considered unlawful. It was very impressive.

Madara, deciding to be the one to further this play along, bowed to the royal. "Very wise, your ladyship. Would you care for an escort back to your house?"

Reiko smiled at him, a pleased glint in her eyes. "Yes, that would be lovely. I'm sure Senju-san would be more than willing."

Touka was startled out of her glaring murder at Hashirama and looked back at the Daimyo's aunt. She swallowed nervously but nodded nonetheless. "I'd be happy to escort you, Lady Reiko."

"Lovely," Reiko demurred with a quiet clap of her hands. "Liu-kun, would you mind remaining to assist with the cleanup? I'm sure you would be able to put the documentation to rights."

The group gathered itself up as Lin stared mournfully at the mess his table had become. The secretary gave one long sigh and nodded at them as they left, Touka walking stiffly beside Reiko. Paper crunched as he shifted, and some slid off the table when it was accidentally knocked.

Madara shot Shikamoto and Izuna a look, directing them both to assist. The two men knew why. With the Sharingan, Izuna could memorize vast amounts of information and regurgitate it later. Shikamoto could speed-read and was intelligent enough to quickly parse out the key details the Daimyo might want to keep hidden from them. While Hashirama had caused more problems than it was worth, Madara was damned if Konoha wasn't going to take advantage of the opportunity presented to them.

Chapter Text

"You can't do that again!"

That was the first thing out of Mito's mouth when Madara dragged her husband to her. They were standing in the Uchiha's office, where Mito had decided to wait in case of an emergency. As she stared up at her husband, the princess looked like she was torn between slapping Hashirama and strangling him.

"It was an accident!" Hashirama wailed, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. "I didn't mean to!"

"That's the problem," Madara pointed out, siding with his friend's wife over him. "What kind of message does it send to the Daimyo if Konoha's leader can't control his power?"

The taller man pouted. "It was just a few flowers."

Mito sighed through her nose, eyes narrowed as she glared up at her husband. "A room full of flowers is not 'just a few', Hashirama. You scared them. They're some of the most influential people in this country, and you almost assaulted them! You need to get a handle on your emotions."

"But, Mito! Everything is fine. Reiko was fine with it!"

Mito looked to Madara for confirmation, and the fire user pursed his lips before shaking his head. Hashirama looked at him, wounded.

"She was fine with it," he argued.

"She was not fine with it, Hashirama," Madara refuted. "She's just too well-mannered, and this situation is too important for her to say otherwise."

The Mokotun user sighed roughly and pulled at his hair. "What does that even mean? She didn't seem upset at all. She said to forget about it."

"No, she didn't," Madara corrected, knowing he needed Hashirama to understand before the man was allowed back in that room. "That was to prevent a scene about Touka."

"Touka?" Mito's eyes snapped between the two men, her tone sharp and loaded. "What about Touka?"

Hashirama cringed instinctively and then looked down at his wife with wide eyes. "Touka threw a table at me!"

It was hilarious to see the short, regal woman so discombobulated. Her mouth flapped for a few seconds, and her dark eyes widened in surprise. She looked at her husband's best friend, and Madara could only nod.

"He nearly took out Izuna when he went flying."

Mito tried, but she couldn't contain the little snort that escaped. She bit her lip and covered her mouth, but the damage was done. Madara's mouth began to stretch with his own amusement, his eyes dancing with an equal mirth. Hashirama saw the lack of concern and stared at them with betrayal.

"Don't laugh." Mito snorted again, and the Hokage began to cry. "Mito! It's not funny. She threw me so hard. It really hurt!!!"

Madara snorted that time. "She did. It was amazing."

The Whirlpool princess nodded, trying to stifle her glee. "I'm sure. She learned from the best, after all."

Hashirama's wailing kicked up at that. "Why'd Tobi have to teach her how to do that?!"

Mito turned her gaze back onto her husband, something intense lurking in her attention. "Little Brother didn't teach Touka. He merely did it so often that she learned by observation."

Now wasn't that interesting, Madara thought.

Not only was there the insinuation that Tobirama wasn't so submissive to his brother as most people assumed, but Hashirama also allowed such blatant insult in front of his clan. At the very least, Touka and Mito had both witnessed such displays. However, Takeo's lack of reaction told him that some of the family's soldiers had also seen it.

While Madara loved Izuna, he wouldn't allow his sibling to disrespect him in that manner. Undermining his authority, attacking him? Not even his precious little brother would be permitted to get away with that. No matter how outlandish Madara's flailing got, Izuna knew where the line was in reprimanding him.

Hashirama's cheeks puffed petulantly, and he crossed his arms and pouted at his wife. "You always take his side," he argued, seeming to forget his friend standing next to him.

Mito sighed, weary. "Husband, you both had valid points. It just always came down to him having to force you to pay attention."

"Well, Tobi didn't have to throw things at me."

Mito's eyebrow arched. "Maybe not, but he seemed to enjoy it. Which is why you let him, isn't it?" Her tone softened, but the words landed harshly all the same. "You were never willing to stop him. Not the way your father would have."

That snapped Hashirama out of his act. The taller man stilled for a moment, something raw breaking through his facade, before he straightened to stare his wife down. As he did so, it seemed to Madara that the childishness cascaded off the Senju in an unseen shudder, slipping to the floor like a discarded robe. For all that he enjoyed playing the fool, his friend's expression was serious in a way it hadn't been in years.
 

Despite himself, Madara was dragged back to the old battlefield, where Uchiha and Senju clashed all around them, deadly blue flashing in and out of his periphery, metal screaming as weapons screeched off each other, armor caked, and shoes squelching in the mud-churned earth created by fiercely arcing water and corpses' blood.

"How I indulged Tobirama is not up for discussion, Wife," he snapped, sharper than Madara had heard him in years. The sudden edge startled both of them, but Mito seemed to expect it all the same.

Madara blinked in confusion. Whatever touchy subject it was that Mito had prodded at, the Uchiha wasn't sure if he wanted to try to get in the middle of it.

Mito hesitated as she studied Hashirama. Then, backing down, she nodded and lowered her gaze to her husband's chest. After a beat of silence, she looked back up and squared her shoulders. "The Daimyo's aunt has made her decision. Touka isn't to be reprimanded, regardless of the scene she caused. You, however..."

Hashirama continued to stare at his spouse for another drawn-out flash before he allowed himself to soften. The previous light-heartedness didn't return, but the sharp edges faded and a half-hearted smile twitched to life. Large hands lifted to rest on Mito's dainty shoulders and squeezed ever so slightly.

"I'm not a complete fool, Mito." Fondness eased into his tone. "I saw the fear right before I did the table. I'll do better to monitor myself."

Madara, carefully hiding his observation of the couple, interjected. "It's more than that, Hashirama."

The other man sighed and allowed his hands to drop. "I know. I've put Konoha in a bad position. We lost leverage for negotiating changes to the contract. I'm hoping that can be mitigated, however."

"Hm." The Uchiha contemplated the situation from multiple angles. "These people aren't our friends, Hashirama. Yes, they want to help, but it's out of selfish reasons. Also..."

He hesitated, weighing his words against any possible upset they could cause.

Hashirama sighed again at the careful handling and glanced away from both of them. "Just say it."

With that permission, Madara did. "I think we're in a more delicate situation than we initially thought. I think the Daimyo is upset about more than just lost revenue."

The other man grimaced. "The rumors. I know."

"You do?" Madara asked, even as he spotted Mito narrowing her eyes in contemplation.

Hashirama blew out a breath and turned away from them toward the window, in front of which Madara's desk sat. "The court's records department sent me a letter not long after gossip hit the capital. The Daimyo had charged them with investigating the Senju marriage contracts, and they needed details."

"You never told me that," Mito said, shock coloring her words.

"It wasn't something to involve you with," he told her. "It happened when we were children, long before you married in."

"Why you?" Madara asked, cutting off Mito's building accusation. "Surely Touka would be the obvious choice."

Hashirama shook his head, hair rustling with the movement. "She was the one to bring it to light. They deemed her too biased."

"But the prior clan leader, the son of the man at issue, wasn't?"

He saw as that hit home. There was a full-body flinch before big shoulders rounded defensively. Hashirama's head dipped forward, and his hair slid off his shoulders in a silk waterfall to hide his face.

"The court wanted answers, and I gave them to the best of my ability."

"And what does that mean?" Madara prodded when the other remained silent.

Hashirama took a deep breath and then turned to face him. His expression was closed off, strained. When he responded, it was hard not to hear the forced calm in it. "There's a lot I wasn't privy to. Father split most of the administration work between the elders and Tobirama."

'One of them needed to be the proper heir, and it certainly wouldn't be Hashirama with his head in the trees.'

Touka's words from the day in the restaurant came back to him at that. The memory of the bitterness in the kunoichi as sharp and cutting now as it had been back then.

"What did you tell them?" Mito pried, a vague horror growing in her. "Hashirama, what did you say?"

The Mokuton user looked away from them again. "I gave them the information I had, and that they should inquire with the elders if they need the actual details."

Oh god, the fire user thought, horrified. That's why the Daimyo was so angry with them. That's why he sent his aunt and three premier ministers to control these proceedings. The man knew full well how out of his depth Hashirama was. Despite it not being fully his fault, Hashirama would still be found guilty in the court of opinion.

After all, how could a clan leader not know such critical details? Despite it stemming from the prior clan leader and the Senju elders undermining him from an early age, how could he not force the issue when he reached his majority? Why didn't he push for more control when Butsuma was dying and, from hushed whispers, mentally unstable? Why was he content to allow his father and elders to sabotage him in such a damning way?

By all rights, Hashirama should have pressed for his father to step down. If that wasn't feasible, he should have sought permission from the Daimyo to force the matter. At the very least, he should have approached his brother indirectly to gather Tobirama's support and as much information as possible. There would have been ways around Butsuma's iron-fisted dominion over his clan. No competent clan heir worth anything would stand back and let themselves be sidelined in such an egregious manner.

"Do you know what you've done?!" Madara breathed, eyes wide.

"I know better than you," Hashirama bit out, anger building behind his mask. The words were heavy with warning, but they seemed empty somehow, brittle. It lacked any real strength.

"You... you've given the Daimyo enough evidence to prove you're incapable of leading. You... Hashirama, what have you-"

"Enough," the Hokage barked. The wood around him began to warp at his agitation. Hashirama took a deep breath to ground himself and exhaled slowly. As he did so, the ripples he'd caused mere seconds ago smoothed out until there was no sign they'd ever been there.

"Enough." He turned away. "This topic is closed."

"Husband," Mito started, but quickly stopped at the fierce glare her husband shot her over his shoulder.

"I'll control my Mokuton." He turned his gaze back outside. "Madara, meet with Shikamoto and your brother to try to learn what they've found out from the papers. If there is anything that could be useful to know beforehand, notify me. Mito, please visit Reiko to smooth things over as best you can. If you can find anything out as well, that would be helpful too."

So he'd figured out Madara's intentions behind assigning those two to clean up. Good. He bowed at the order given by the village's leader and turned to leave. Hashirama stopped him before he made it to the door, though. Mito departed the room, not meeting his eyes, and Madara turned back to the man staring out his office window.

"I know you don't agree with how I handled my brother," Hashirama said at length. His shoulders had a vague roundedness to them, the big man curling forward a little to make himself seem smaller maybe, "but don't pass judgment where it's not your place."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes in irritation. "As a fellow clan leader, it is my place."

"If you think I care about your opinion right now, you're wrong." Hashirama turned to face him, lips pressed together tightly, and body tensed. Dark eyes snapped angrily as they met his, and Madara felt a faint flash of fear at the look in them. "The lights are failing across the village, half the sewers are collapsing, and we've got no one to fix them. On top of that, I've got to find a way to undo my fuckup before Reiko packs up and leaves."

"What happened," the man finished quietly, a peculiar strength to the words, "is between my clan and me. Don't involve yourself where you're not welcome."

He wanted to challenge him, of course. Madara never liked being ordered around, not even by his friend and Hokage. But now wasn't the time. The man's usual armor of joviality was dented, entire chunks ripped away by their conversation's heavy blows. Seeping out from those gaps was something nasty. It smelled like infection, the reinforced armor holding that back as much as it did the man himself.

"Of course, Lord Hokage," Madara bit out sharply after a second of shock.

He dipped his head in mockery, fury threatening to rise in his gullet and burn its way out of him. Instead of feeding it, he turned and stormed out of the room, intent on putting as much distance as he could between himself and the source of his ire. Still, as he stomped up the stairs, his brain picked at the facts he'd just pieced together.

No wonder the Senju were so disloyal to Hashirama. While his father was alive, his standing as the main heir had degraded so far that the clan probably felt like they had no other choice but to flock to the only other option presented to them. It was easy for the Senju to pass judgment on their former head because it sounded like he had never really been their genuine leader. Touka had all but admitted to Tobirama running the clan from Hashirama's shadow. The elder Senju brother was as much a figurehead back then for his family as the clans had intended him to be now for the village. The only reason the man wasn't sidelined as Hokage was that Tobirama wasn't there to be pigeonholed into that position.

Every new thing he learned about the Senju clan was adding to the picture steadily forming in Madara's mind. It was frustrating because, if asked even a year ago, he'd have said he had unwavering confidence in his childhood friend. Was he perfect? Hell no. But he always tried to do his best.

But this new picture forming over the old one was beginning to look very ugly indeed. It was incredibly confusing, too, since Madara knew - knew - there was still a lot of missing information. What he was seeing was a jumbled mess of facts strewn about that he had picked up off the floor and was struggling to fit together, all without knowing what the result was supposed to be.

Hashirama wasn't making any sense anymore, and it was beginning to really piss Madara off.

_______________________________________

Izuna palmed a piece of paper into his jacket pocket as he entered the meeting room. It was done expertly, his little brother seemingly engaged in a conversation with Haru Inuzuka about the dog-clan's latest batch of puppies. There was a minute flutter of his blue haori as he passed behind Izuna, followed by a faint pulling on it.

When Madara had settled into place off to the side, shielded by Takeo and Chobe's larger bodies, he'd slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the smooth surface of folded parchment. The Uchiha caught Chobe's attention before he flicked his eyes towards the Foreign Affairs Secretary and then away. The Akimichi furrowed his brows thoughtfully before understanding eased them up.

Choko's nephew nudged the temporary Senju heir, and the two shared a brief but thorough burst of silent communication. Eventually, Takeo nodded. The soldier left their group and ambled over to the court official nonchalantly, stopping on the far side. After gaining the man's attention, the ninja pulled Lin into a random conversation, stealing his concentration away from the room at large. That allowed Madara to withdraw the note from his pocket.

'~*- spcops(WENeg), trk, bnty. FDa >:( @. FLWiDa push %. FDa fav+, = $$$ &&&. @ = $$$ &&&.'

Only years of reading his brother's shorthand allowed him to decipher that mess of writing. Still, it took precious seconds to parse out the meanings for a few of the symbols that were substituted for words or entire sentences. However, when he thought he had it, Madara carefully re-read the translated message in his mind.

'The Ishaan is a shinobi. He's done special ops jobs (Wet work, Espionage, Negotiations), tracking, and bounties. The Fire Daimyo is pissed at Konoha. Fire/ Lightening /Wind Daimyo are using this situation to push an agenda. The Fire Daimyo genuinely favors the Ishaan. He spends a great deal of money and people on him. Konoha is expected to spend money and people on him.'

He glanced over to his brother. Izuna had shifted slightly, enough to turn so he could observe Madara from the corner of his eye. Black eyes met black, and the two siblings easily conveyed their own concerns to each other from across the room.

It wasn't a total surprise. Since Konoha began sending out spies over a month ago to gather intel on Ishaan, they'd learned several things about the man. All led them to the suspicion he had to be shinobi, retired if not active.

He'd been clearing bounties across the major nations for years, the numbers growing each year that passed. Shikamoto pieced together the title of 'Ishaan' with the bounty hunter 'Ishin'. Ishin turned in several wanted criminals every year, claiming the reward money but refusing any further acknowledgment. No clear description could be compiled, though, since the man always appeared under a different henge each time.

Generally, the man preferred plain and unassuming disguises. Other times, though, he'd stand out. One bounty, in Wind, he looked like an Uzumaki. Earth paid out several thousand ryo to what appeared to be a Hatake. One of Madara's own chosen spies sent to Lightning returned with a troubled expression and handed over a second-hand account of an Uchiha, Sharingan and all, dropping off a gagged and bound deserter to her family.

Standing back and examining the bounties Konoha was aware of, you could see that a larger percentage were from Fire. This led Madara to believe the man could be a native. If this shinobi was turning in bounties to the Capitol year after year, of course, word of him would reach the country's ruler, no matter how much the Daimyo liked to avoid involving himself with his ninja forces. It wasn't a large leap to go from one-off jobs to a steady income when a Daimyo took notice of you. And since the bounties in the other countries didn't die down any, it was clear this Ishin person was smart enough to avoid indentured servitude. That the Daimyo liked the man wasn't that big a shock. Their monarch always seemed to favor people with a brain.

Initially, the evidence made them all think Ishin was just Tobirama using an alias. After all, he'd been free to do whatever and go wherever he wished to for the past half-decade. Still, the bounties stretched back at least fifteen years, which would put the albino at eight or nine. It was hard to believe that a nine-year-old, no matter how capable, could bring down a fully grown shinobi and cart them halfway across the country within a couple of days. Still, people tried to argue it was likely him. However, that theory was disproved when the Senju clan pulled out their mission rosters and checked each bounty against Tobirama's assignments.

Most bounties cleared were nowhere near where the young man was supposed to be at the time. Tobirama was working in northern Fire when Ishin dropped a bounty off in the capital. It took at least four days to get from one end of the country to the other. Some were in different nations entirely! And that didn't include the times when Tobirama wasn't assigned a mission at all and was at the Senju compound.

Members of various clans also noted that a handful of events coincided with their interaction with the former Senju. Hashirama even disproved one bounty himself. He pointed out one specific occasion a year or so before the truce. He mentioned that he and Tobirama were pulling a critical mission together in eastern Fire when Ishin had been in Hot Water. It was within range if the younger Senju pushed himself, but still impossible at the end of the day.

"I mean, Tobi was with me the entire time. He couldn't have slunk away for the couple of days it would take to get there and back. I would have definitely noticed that!"

Add to that, after examining the captured and killed prisoners, it became evident that multiple forms of elemental jutsus were used. Tobirama was skilled in water release and earth, but he was inherently terrible at fire and only less so at wind. Izuna used to mock the albino on the battlefield about it. Madara's little brother always got a kick out of being better at something than his rival.

The evidence against Ishin being Tobirama stacked up until it became impossible to continue hoping that they were the same person. Which left them with the conundrum of who the Ishaan could be.

Whoever it was, based on what Izuna had gleaned from the scattered documents he'd helped pick up, the Ishaan was highly valued by multiple Daimyo. In Fire's case, it had to be personal if he spent enough money on him that Izuna felt it necessary to point out. No matter how useful somebody was, you wouldn't spend money needlessly on someone you didn't like. Add to that the comment about spending people, and Madara got an even clearer image of the relationship between the two men.

The Daimyo spent people by assigning them to someone else exclusively. With thousands of people in his employ in the main castle alone, it didn't seem to be that big a deal. But the Daimyo would only bother if it was someone of significant importance. Which meant that the servants being reassigned had to be of matching illusory status. A regular scullery maid wouldn't be acceptable. Only top-tier attendants would meet the requirements. Out of thousands of people, suitable candidates probably only numbered in the triple digits, double if the recipient was truly valuable. That meant the Daimyo was likely dipping into his or his wife's pool of retainers. Which the man wouldn't be amenable to if he didn't think it was worth it.

Konoha was likely going to have to kiss some major ass if they wanted to remain in the Daimyo's good books. That, as Izuna helpfully pointed out, meant they would have to spend serious money and people of their own on the Ishaan as well.

"Good read?"

Madara was startled from his thoughts and tore his gaze from Izuna to look over at the man who had approached when his attention was elsewhere. Haruko was eyeing the small piece of paper in his hand, white eyes studying the message as best he could from the angle it was at. Madara wasn't that worried about the invasion of privacy. Even if the Hyuuga could decipher it, everything the messily scrawled words contained was relevant to the situation.

"Enlightening," he corrected.

"Do tell," the other noble pressed.

"There needs to be a slight adjustment to the dinner tonight," Madara explained. "One the Hokage needs to approve. Perhaps you can convey it?"

As stuck-up and difficult as the old man was, Haruko was a shinobi at heart. He could easily parse through the Uchiha's veiled meaning, if not the actual message for Hashirama. That Madara was asking Haruko to be the one to pass it on would also be telling to the man.

"Of course," Haruko acquiesced with a regal dip of his head. "However, you're going to have to rewrite it. I can't read that chicken scratch to save my life."

Chobe snorted, shifting a little at Haruko's unimpressed and judgmental look. Madara smirked at it himself and then turned to find another piece of paper and a pen. After quickly transcribing the uncoded missive, he passed it over to Haruko. He held on to it, though, when the man tried to tug it from his fingers, prompting the Hyuuga to meet his gaze.

"It's important that the Hokage sign off on the change before the meeting recommences. We'll be busy for the rest of the day."

Haruko nodded his understanding at the seriousness of the issue, and Madara let the paper go. As expected, the other man looked down and quickly read the note. The Uchiha clocked the instant the full meaning hit the man because Haruko's eyes darted up to meet his in shock. Madara nodded, acknowledging it, and then tipped his head toward the door.

"Hashirama is completing some paperwork in my office."

"Ah, I'll go get his approval for the menu change then and be back." Haruko stepped around Chobe and glided out of the room, avoiding the numerous mingling ninja blocking the path to the door.

Chapter Text

Whatever Hashirama had thought of the revelations Izuna had discovered, the man didn't show. Suzuki was again in attendance when the gathering reconvened, and the Hokage sat prim and proper at his desk. His back straight and a chagrined smile plastered on his face, he looked like an errant schoolboy more than a powerful ninja. Even though Madara knew it was mostly authentic, he couldn't help but admire Hashirama's acting ability.

"My deepest apologies, Lady Reiko," Hashirama began before anyone else could. He bowed in his seat as he politely groveled. "I was simply overexcited. It won't happen again."

Suzuki sneered a little from his new spot beside Reiko before he looked away, not happy having to be there. He remained silent, though, so he probably had received quite the lecture from Reiko when she returned to the house to freshen up. The royal didn't seem the type to suffer fools.

Reiko waved a hand, brushing off Hashirama's apology. "Things like that happen. We're not very good at our jobs if we can't accept and move beyond it. Dealing with and accepting adversity is a requirement of a strong character. Wouldn't you say?"

Hashirama smiled at her. "I completely agree. Now, where were we before I interrupted?"

"The topic of what the Daimyo agreed to pay to ensure the Ishaan's acceptance of the Konoha contract," Lin spoke from his spot at the back table, reading over the notes he'd been taking before things devolved into chaos.

"Thank you, Lin," Kawakami said with a nod. He began to recount what Reiko had previously explained.

"As mentioned, the Daimyo is building a secondary estate for the Ishaan's foreign contracts. That way, they don't enter Konoha—the exception to that being the honor guard, which we'll cover later. The next major concession the Daimyo promised was to sign the contract at the summit three months from now. Any other non-traditional forms of payment agreed upon between them are confidential and not relevant to the specifics of this contract. The important thing is that Ishaan agreed."

"Of course," Hashirama accepted easily. "However, that does lead us to one of the major topics we need to finalize. The price Konoha must pay for Ishaan's services."

"Yes. Lord Suzuki will take point on this section of the talks."

There was a hint of steel in Yoko's words, and the Finance Minister glowered over at the man before he straightened up in his seat and raised his chin imperiously.

"The Ishaan's master employment compact is such that it defines the overall types of contracts he can be hired for and where they fall on the payment table. He has two main types of contracts, each with four tiers. The base price is different for each type. The work required here falls under his secondary role. That will dictate the base price, with specifics to be negotiated. However, regardless of what is agreed upon, the base price is not negotiable."

"Secondary role?" Choko asked. "What is his primary role?"

Suzuki looked down his nose at her and nodded at the packet on her desk. "If you had bothered to read the information provided, you would already know the answer, Lady Akimichi."

Choko wanted to scowl at him. Madara could tell from the way her chakra snapped in agitation. The woman didn't show it, though. Before she could begin to respond, Reiko shifted slightly in her seat. It drew Suzuki's attention, causing the man to wince slightly and modulate his attitude.

Didn't suffer fools, indeed.

"Perhaps give the clans a few minutes to read the packet?" Lady Sada asked gently from her spot beside her husband. She smiled over at the Finance Minister. "You may go parch with all the talking, Lord Shunichi. Would you like me to make you a pot of Throat Coat tea?"

Suzuki's eyes dipped down and over towards Sada's direction, not looking directly at her since he'd have to lean forward to meet her gaze. After a second or two of contemplation, probably weighing if he wanted to take the out she'd offered him, he twisted his head and bent over to address her.

"Thank you, Lady Sada. That would be quite nice."

He smiled at her, and Madara was surprised that it appeared honest. Shunichi Suzuki was the picture of a stereotypical court official, puffed up and critical. He clearly had a very low opinion of anyone he deemed lesser. With how the man had ignored Lady Sada up until that point, Madara had assumed she was lumped in with that category. Obviously, that wasn't the case.

Lady Sada's smile widened slightly, and she leaned over to speak into her husband's ear. Kawakami turned his head slightly to better pay attention to her and nodded to whatever she had asked. She rose from her place gracefully and moved over to a chest that had been delivered to the room early that morning, before the dignitaries had arrived. They had placed it on a low table in the corner for easy access.

"Lord Uchiha," the woman called to him. When she spotted his eyes on her, she dipped her head slightly. "Would you be greatly offended if I asked to borrow you for a minute?"

"Of course not, Lady Sada," Madara refuted as he stood. With a glance at Lord Kawakami, he went to where Lady Kawakami sat in profile in front of the wooden trunk.

As he neared, he saw that the front of the thing was two doors that swung open to expose multiple drawers of various sizes. Sada pulled out an iron teapot from the largest one at the bottom. She also withdrew a matching stand for it to sit on. She set the pot on the stand, and the Uchiha clan head lowered to sit beside her as she lifted the jug of water waiting nearby.

"I've always greatly enjoyed making tea," she murmured to him as she filled the pot. "There's something soothing to the motions."

A second passed, during which Madara considered the situation several times before he decided to be truthful.

"I've never really enjoyed it," he admitted softly. "I've always found it boring."

Kind eyes glanced at him, joy dancing away in them before they returned to the pot. "It's not for everyone. I remember a boy once. He tried his best, but he could barely sit still. His father was beside himself with frustration at all the fidgeting."

Madara felt his lips twitch in amusement. "Sounds familiar," he joked.

With the pot filled, Sada replaced the water jug and lifted it from its stand. She passed it over to Madara, observing how he curved his hands around its body. "Would you please heat that?"

Without waiting for his answer, she ducked back into the numerous drawers, pulling out bags of dried herbs and flowers, discarding most of them. In a small bowl, she combined licorice, slippery elm, and what Madara thought was marshmallow root. She shot him a quick look, and the shinobi shook himself out of his stupor and began to channel energy into his hands.

It was a delicate process. Too much chakra, and the water would overboil, and the pot would be potentially ruined. Too little, and the water wouldn't reach the needed temperature to leech the flavor and nutrients out of the leaves. Most ninjas couldn't do it. Even those with a natural affinity for fire struggled since they didn't have the same sheer reserves he did. Fire practically danced in his veins. At times, it seemed like all Madara had to do was think about it, and the flames would leap to do his bidding. That was how he earned his moniker 'The Calamity'.

He felt the iron's temperature rise and slowly set the pot down on the stand, careful to keep the heat circulating in his palms as he did so. After a few minutes, the water was simmering away, and he withdrew his hands. Sada nodded to him in thanks and removed the lid, allowing her to pour the tea leaf mixture into the pot. Again, the sensation of Deja Vu shot through him at her motions and demeanor.

The sound of coughing shattered his observation, and Madara turned to see Shikamoto choking on his beverage. The Nara was staring at a page of the packet they'd been handed earlier that morning, eyes wide as saucers. While the Uchiha thought what had caused that expression wouldn't be all that amusing, he couldn't help but want to laugh at the flustered man. Like with Mito, it was rare for Shikamoto to be so wrong-footed.

"Doboshu?!" he sputtered, eyes snapping over to look at Reiko.

"Do-what-now?" Shimiji asked, her eyes equally wide as she stared at Shikamoto in surprise. Then, the kunoichi refocused her attention on her packet and began to page ahead, looking for the term.

Reiko didn't reply, seemingly too entertained to do so.

The Nara glanced back down at the papers. "His overall role mirrors that of a doboshu."

Shimiji narrowed her eyes in irritation and flicked a look of frustration at Shikamoto. "Again... a do-what-now?"

Haruko cleared his throat and shifted slightly in discomfort. "A doboshu is an outdated position. One that hasn't been used in over five centuries."

"But what is it?" The Inuzuka pressed.

"Ah..."

Madara was astonished to see a slight blush creep up Shikamoto's neck as the other man tried to find a way not to have to answer that. From the looks of it, Hyuuga was having a similar challenge, which was hilarious because the Byakugan user was the most senior clan head and shinobi in the room. The old man had almost seven decades under his belt. He shouldn't be as flustered as he was.

"Oh, come on!" She threw her hands up. "It can't be that bad."

Madara bit his lip and turned back to Sada and the teapot. He jerked a little to see the woman observing him with a devilish grin.

"Not going to tell them?" she whispered pleasantly.

His mouth twitched, and he met her stare easily. "And ruin their fun?"

She chuckled and turned back to her work. Long, agile fingers placed a strainer over a second, smaller teapot she had retrieved while Madara's concentration was elsewhere and poured the finished brew into it. Steam steadily rose from the little blue ceramic container as it filled. When it was full, Sada capped it and pulled out a different receptacle, straining the rest of the tea from the iron pot so she could discard the leaves.

"Thank you, Lord Uchiha." Sada bowed and smiled at him in thanks as Madara moved to help her stand.

"It was my pleasure, Lady Sada." He dipped his head before swiveling around to return to his seat, cutting through the back and forth flung from one side of the room to the other.

"A doboshu," he interjected once he sat down, drawing everyone's attention to him, "was an individual who served samurai and Daimyo several centuries ago. They fell out of favor when the nations began using shinobi instead of samurai, and the Daimyo followed suit to keep in line with the changing opinions of their court."

"But what-" Shimiji began to screech, frustrated that no one was willing to give her an actual answer.

Madara cut her off. "A doboshu could be described as the progenitor of the geisha."

Silence blanketed the room at that. He was pretty sure that he could hear crickets chirping in the distance.

"A... a..."

Both Reiko and Lady Sada were trying not to laugh. Kawakami was doing his best to study the papers on his desk, and the other two ministers were a bit pink in the face and staring at the ceiling. Sitting on the windowsill alongside her fellow guard, Aoi was grinning like a loon.

"A... a gei-" Shimiji couldn't finish.

Madara helped. "A geisha."

Touka snorted and covered her mouth. "He's a geisha?"

"No," Shikamoto cut in, finally pushing through his embarrassment. "Doboshu inspired geisha, but they had fundamental differences."

He seemed to warm to the topic because he expanded without prompting. "They were men who worked for a single patron, often a samurai or Daimyo, as Madara said. They would serve multiple roles for that lord. Often, they entertained their lord through various means: music, poetry, flower arrangement, even simple conversations. However, they served other essential functions as well. Doboshu acted as advisors and spy-masters. They were often the court member the lord turned to for advice and a friendly shoulder. Doboshu could break bad news in a humorous way that lessened the lord's anger, and they were some of the only people that the lord would allow to get away with disrespect."

Madara took over because he could see things spiraling if further questions were asked. "Doboshu served lords and became defunct when the samurai system was thrown out of all the countries except Iron. But even Iron stopped that particular practice. Geisha came about because the type of entertainment Doboshu were known for was popular with the nobles and merchants, and women were easier on the eyes."

Hashirama was staring at him, wide-eyed. His countenance seemed to be screaming: How do you know all that?! Why do you know all that?!

"So..." Touka drawled, "I take it the Ishaan isn't dressing up in face paint and dancing the Nihon Buyo?"

Sada snorted at that. Her eyes widened at the sound, and she covered her mouth in dismay. Kawakami's head whipped to the side, and he gazed at his wife in equal astonishment, a faint smile tugging at him as he took in her legitimate consternation with her lapse of dignity. Reiko began chuckling.

"No. Though-" she smiled conspiratorially at the Senju clan head, "it's not for lack of trying on our part. My nephew made us promise to stop harassing the poor man so he wouldn't follow through on his threat to quit."

Touka's eyes widened. "'Us?'"

"The court ladies, of course," she specified. "Whenever his Lordship gets him to spend time in the capital, Ishaan is kind enough to spend afternoons and evenings with the Seishitsu and the ministers' wives. It can get dreadfully boring at times. Ishaan livens things up a bit."

She leaned over and spoke to Sada. "He's very good at the kokyu."

"I don't know," Sada hedged. "What about when Lady Kimi asked him to play the koto?"

"Hm..." Reiko hummed in thought. "That was pretty."

Kawakami, joining in on the teasing, smiled as he sipped his tea. "I quite enjoyed it when he played the taiko."

Hashirama cleared his throat. "So, he's primarily an entertainer?"

Kawakami's smile faded, and he set his cup down. "Technically, yes, but that's only because it's modeled on a position that is uniform internationally. If you aren't aware, the entertainment industry, specifically geisha, is one of the only industries that has a standard set of rules and guidelines wherever you go. Even though each nation has its own guild and doesn't recognize a member from a foreign one, a geisha in Wind will operate the same as one from Water or Earth. Clients will also follow the same rules.

"For the Ishaan to operate officially across borders without potential fallout, our Lordship decided to create a new position within the entertainment industry. He approached the Lightning Daimyo with the opportunity, who agreed readily. That way, they could piggyback off a virtually universally acknowledged profession." The minister took a sip of his tea and then continued. "However, this new position is the only one that is currently officially recognized on an international scale. Any Daimyo that signs the compact agrees that the position of Ishaan is official in their country and that the same man fills that role. All applicable guilds must recognize it or have their licensing revoked."

"So, the Daimyo avoided fighting with each other by sticking him with the geisha? How does that work with everything else?" Choko was flipping through the packet as she asked that.

Kawakami corrected her. "Officially, Ishaan is in the same industry as a geisha but not the same rank. And it's mostly so they could use the standardized employment laws as a launching point for the compact. Also, it's hard to justify to your citizens about going to war because the Daimyo all hired the same performer and took exception."

That made an awful lot of sense to Madara. So much so that he was a little proud that their Daimyo was the one to think it up in the first place. Use a job that everyone knew and understood, even if they weren't equally recognized between countries, and build a brand new profession that would be acknowledged. That then afforded the man in the job the same protections across all borders, regardless of individual national laws. Better yet, if one country tries to pull a fast one, all the others are obligated to get involved and keep them honest.

"What's his rank?" Shimiji asked.

Reiko answered. "The highest. He outranks all entertainers in all professions and nations that are compact members. And because so many countries are participating, guilds from nonparticipating nations are under constant pressure to accept that understanding as well."

"That's got to have ruffled a few feathers," the Inuzuka quipped.

"There were some complaints from the guild masters until they realized that it was an ostensible position for the most part. Most performers aren't yet aware that it exists."

"For the most part?" Inojiro leaned against his desktop, curiosity burning away at him.

Reiko nodded. "For the scheme to succeed, Ishaan does need to take on that type of work now and then. Requests usually come from Fire, Lightning, and Whirlpool. Those three Daimyo are on more personal terms with him."

"Which means that if the position is at least partially legitimate, the Ishaan would be beholden to those industry standards. Yes?"

That came from Shikaichi, Shikamoto's son and heir. He was the first heir to interject themselves in the proceedings, and he could see the Nara leader tense slightly. It was against expected protocol, but Madara had a feeling Reiko, and therefore Kawakami, wouldn't take offense to this question.

Proving Madara right, Kawakami nodded at the young man. "Correct. While performing work that falls under his primary employment type, Ishaan is expected to observe etiquette standards similar to those of a geisha. They aren't the same, though. Those standards were crafted by the Fire and Lightning Daimyo, considering his dual role. However, any client contracting Ishaan's primary services would be expected to follow the normal guidelines of a geisha's client."

That declaration brought memories for Madara.

When he was a young teenager, not long after the river, Tijama had taken him to the capital for court proceedings in preparation for assuming more duties as heir. Believing him old enough to glimpse the finer side of nobility, the patriarch arranged an evening with a geisha at a local teahouse.

Beforehand, he sat Madara down and drilled him on the rules. Never use her real name. Keep your hands to yourself. No boasting, no insults. Respect their rules, even above our own. Pay without question. Any misstep, Tijama warned, would disgrace the Uchiha name and see him barred for life. The guild did not forgive insults.

The words had carved themselves so deeply into him that, even twenty years later, Madara still heard them—his father's voice, crisp and commanding, repeating the list without mercy.

"Will we be expected to follow those rules?" Shikamoto asked, trying to divert attention away from his son. "We're contracting his secondary services, after all."

Kawakami shook his head. "Not usually, no. However, Ishaan can take one-off contracts while in residence if his schedule permits it. If any of those are for entertainment, Konoha will be expected to recognize that and behave accordingly for the duration of that job."

Hashirama frowned. "Could you provide an example, Lord Kawakami? I'm unsure how we'd know, as his work is generally confidential and he would be in residence with us long-term."

The minister nodded and shot Hashirama a quick and pleased smile at the question. "Of course. Say there is a three-day break between when the Ishaan has to oversee something in the Konoha project personally. That's several days of downtime for him. If he knows when that will be ahead of time, he can schedule a couple of one-off entertainment contracts to fill that time.

"For the sake of this example, say it's someone here in Konoha who hires his services. Ishaan has a notification system where anyone who passes his domicile would see a sign or notice indicating he is currently under primary contract."

Reiko cut in. "While in the capital, he mainly stays in the castle instead of the estate the Daimyo provided him. Due to that, if he's out and about with a client, he wears a certain style of outfit or a certain hairpin or accessory to inform people. That way, they know to adjust their behavior."

"Yes." Kawakami nodded in agreement with Reiko and then looked back at Hashirama. "I imagine there will be downtime throughout an extended contract such as this. Knowing Ishaan as I do, I doubt he'd be happy with just sitting around. Honestly, Lord Hokage, I wouldn't be surprised if you see an influx of courtiers coming and going during those times."

"But what about the estate outside the village?" Hyuuga brought up.

"That is for foreigners. Fire citizens would come to the Ishaan directly, unless he doesn't want them here for some reason. If you're concerned with security, you can address that with Ishaan. He's more aware of potential issues than we are."

That avenue of discussion abruptly ended. Madara brought the conversation back around to the initial topic. "So, what is the price for Ishaan's secondary services on this project?"

Suzuki straightened from where he had been slouching to avoid being drawn into the conversation about geisha, and cleared his throat. He flipped through the packet about halfway and held it up so the room could see the table on it. "This is the price table for secondary services."

Everyone began to page through their own papers until they found what he was referencing. It was the second of two tables, the first for the entertainment contracts. Madara ran a quick eye over the numbers and felt his brow rise in incredulity.

"Aren't you missing some zeros here?" he couldn't help but ask.

Lady Sada dipped her head to hide her face, even as Kawakami blinked at his nonchalance. Reiko and Nishimura both smiled a little. Suzuki, however, wasn't amused and narrowed his eyes.

"The Ishaan is independently wealthy and graciously prefers to undercharge for that reason. However, as part of allowing Konoha to benefit from his patronage contract, our Lordship is adding additional costs to the base price. This is to ensure that Ishaan is properly compensated despite his disinclination to charge a fair price for his time and effort.

"Also," he added with a sneer that set off all the shinobi and both Reiko and Kawakami, "it's to prove that Konoha appreciates the effort put into ensuring you remain in your homes."

"Shinichi!" Reiko snapped, even as Kawakami shot up from his seat to glare at the man over the woman between them.

Suzuki flinched at Reiko's stern, unforgiving tone and lowered his gaze in shame. "My apologies, your ladyship."

"I am not the one you should be apologizing to," she bit out angrily. "That was uncalled for. I have had enough of your unprofessionalism. You were warned, Shinichi."

The man breathed out, frustrated, but reigned himself in. He looked up at both Hashirama and Madara, saw the dark anger lurking in them both, and then lowered his gaze again. He bowed to the Hokage low enough to show at least a smidgen of genuine apology and then repeated the process to Madara.

"I'm sorry. As Lady Reiko chastised me, that was uncalled for. I won't ask for forgiveness. Some things are too rude to be brushed aside."

Tense with his barely-leashed outrage, Hashirama stiffly nodded but remained silent.

Kawakami grudgingly sat and carefully steered things away from the impending argument and back on topic. "Fire's Daimyo was the first to sign the compact. He was the one who created the concept and negotiated it with Lightning and then Wind. The remaining six countries joined after, when most of the work was already done. His Lordship takes pride in what he has accomplished. Because of that, he's insistent that Konoha be a direct extension of himself in regards to the quality of care for Ishaan."

"So, while we may have reduced direct costs," Shikamoto started, his voice carefully blank, "there are greater indirect costs that the Daimyo is imposing that the Ishaan is not requiring?"

Reiko nodded. "Correct. Which is where my presence comes into play. The prices Ishaan charges for secondary contracts are so far below what his time is truly worth that the Daimyo, all of them, refuse to allow anyone to negotiate that down any further. It would be trying to extort free labor at that point, and an absolute insult to Ishaan's hard work and dedication. Our Lord is confident that you can afford the Ishaan's terms."

She glanced around the room at the various clan heads before continuing with a stern expression. "It's the indirect costs set by the Daimyo that are what we are unsure of."

"I'm sure we can come to some sort of understanding," Hashirama assuaged.

The woman stared at him for a long, drawn-out moment, her countenance uncompromising. "We will."

Every single person in the room heard the threat implicit in that promise. They all knew that if these talks failed, the Daimyo would collect his debt and send every clan member packing. The man had very little patience remaining, and most of what was left looked to be tied up in the hopes the Ishaan could straighten them out without involving him further. Konoha needed to meet at least the bare minimum the Daimyo was demanding of them.

"Let's start there then," Madara chimed in, redirecting the older woman's stare onto him. "You're right that we have the funds to pay the Ishaan's asking price. What stipulations are in the Daimyo's contract that Konoha must also meet?"

Reiko waved a hand at Suzuki, who shifted uncomfortably but gathered his composure. "Room and board. Most other things are either cost-prohibitive or frivolous. The Ishaan has little care for the second as it is and frowns on the first."

He motioned to the table behind the representatives, Lin lording over the paper mounds. "The general specifics are outlined in another set of documents we're set to go over after lunch. However, to summarize, the contractor is required to house and feed the Ishaan for the entire duration of the job. For long-term or extended contracts, this also extends to Ishaan's household. As his dedicated patron, the Daimyo has further stipulations he must meet in this area to satisfy the contract."

Nishimura spoke up for the first time in a while. "The Daimyo must provide permanent housing for the length of his patronage in every place Ishaan takes an extended or long-term job for him. As Konoha is piggybacking off his contract, that means the Ishaan must be given a residence here for at least as long as he has Fire Country as his patron."

"More than that is citizenship," Kawakami said. "The contract requires every patron with territory to grant the Ishaan irrevocable citizenship. By hiring him under the Daimyo's agreement, Konoha is bound to do the same. Signing makes him a full member of your village. That brings its own challenges—you'll need to negotiate them when he arrives. But understand this: he will not yield his autonomy or authority. The Fire Daimyo will not expect it, and the others will threaten sanctions if you press the issue. He is free to come and go as he pleases. Being a shinobi village won't change that."

"Understood." Hashirama's voice was solemn. He glanced at the sun's path outside the tower's window and then turned back to Kawakami. "Perhaps we should break for lunch? It feels like a good pausing point. Afterward, we can go over the specifics for room and board. I imagine explanations will take up the rest of the day, which leaves any potentially needed clarifications or negotiations for tomorrow."

"Yes," the Daimyo's aunt agreed. "That sounds like a good plan."

"We planned a banquet for tonight. So nothing special was arranged for lunch. We didn't know if your staff would prepare something for you, but we're more than happy to pull something together if you'd like."

Lady Sada leaned over to take her husband's hand and smile up at him. "I would like to explore a little. Perhaps we can get something at one of the restaurants?"

The minister squeezed back tenderly. "That sounds lovely."

He turned to Reiko. "Would you like to come with?"

"No. Enjoy the time together," the woman refused good-naturedly. She turned to the other two ministers on her left, her expression turning flinty as she locked eyes on Suzuki. "Lord Akihiro, why don't you and Lord Suzuki return to the house for lunch to go over the afternoon's agenda? I would love to ensure it runs smoothly."

Suzuki blanched a little at that but remained quiet while Nishimura nodded soberly.

Reiko cast her gaze around the room and settled her sights on the heirs. "I think I will avail myself of the youth in the room. It's been a while since I've been surrounded by such handsome men and women. They can escort me around and help me find a good place to eat. Meet back here in two hours?"

Madara blinked at that, unsure of what the woman's angle was but knowing she had one. Still, it wasn't a request that he could refuse since it seemed innocent enough. He glanced over his shoulder at Izuna to judge how his little brother felt about the plan and saw his brother already staring back.

What the fuck, his expression seemed to say.

I have no idea, Madara tried to convey back.

Izuna broke eye contact and smiled at the royal. "We'd love to show you around, Lady Reiko."

"Lovely," she said with a shark's grin.

________________________

"That woman is terrifying!" Izuna grasped Madara's arm and hauled him away from the group and down the hall to an unpopulated office. He closed the door and whirled around to face his brother. "Don't ever leave me with her again!!!"

"Really, 'Zuna? She's a civilian in her sixties."

"Civilian, my ass. I'm pretty sure she could kill me with her chopsticks if she wanted to!"

Madara sighed. "Izuna-"

"No," his sibling protested. "She's really scary, Madara. She spent the entire time interrogating me and Takeo without actually asking any pointed questions. She turned every conversation any of us tried to start around to the Senju or Uchiha and how we were doing now that we were at peace. 'Isn't that lovely?  she kept saying. What does that even mean?! I'm pretty sure Takeo's going to threaten to kill himself if Touka asks him to take the heir position in earnest."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

"She tripped up Shikaichi."

Madara didn't have anything to say to that, knowing the woman was feared and respected by the court for a reason. It was just a little scary to see that she was intelligent enough to wrong-foot the Nara heir, though. The number of guards and ninja from her protection detail skulking around probably hadn't helped any.

"What was she after?"

Izuna blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. There wasn't anything obvious. Whatever she was after, I'm not sure she even got it. Unless it was to make us almost pee ourselves from fear that we'd say or do something to insult the Daimyo's aunt. Seriously, Madara. Did you see how that asshole turned white when she looked at him?"

"She's responsible for reporting to her nephew, Izuna," the elder of the two pointed out. "I doubt the Daimyo will be happy to hear that the first blood drawn was by his own Finance Minister."

"You make it sound like this is an armed conflict."

Madara gripped Izuna by the side of his neck, calluses digging into soft skin and squeezing. When his little brother was still and listening, Madara eased up.

"Politics is war, Izuna. Those people in there, Reiko and Kawakami? They're soldiers. The battlefield is different, but they've seen as much blood as we have. Don't let them fool you otherwise. Reiko is the Daimyo's staunchest supporter. Her nephew's supremacy is her primary concern here. And Kawakami? He's good at his job, and the Daimyo rewards competency. They came for war, Little Brother. And part of war is being prepared to draw blood."

"This afternoon is going to be horrible. Isn't it?" Izuna whined.

"Absolutely."

Chapter Text

Madara slid into his seat just as Suzuki and Nishimura entered the room.

The Finance Minister looked a little paler than he had before lunch, but that wasn't a surprise when he had the Daimyo's displeasure to look forward to upon his return to the capital. He'd seriously bungled his portion of the talks so far, and he still had quite a bit more to get through. Beyond Reiko, Kawakami also appeared to be seriously annoyed with the man and his performance. The older minister was watching him with narrowed eyes as he approached and continued to stare at him after he quietly settled into his seat without drawing attention to himself.

Instead of heading directly to his place in the row, Nishimura cut over to the other side of Reiko to stand in front of Yoko's desk. The two had a quiet conversation about the expected end time for the day and a suitable cut-off point. It sounded like they wanted to plow through things and finish with the significant details before dinner so that they would be in a good place tomorrow morning. Nishimura mentioned wanting to approve the site as soon as possible to begin arrangements. Whatever that meant.

"Alright, everyone," Kawakami spoke up when the two men had finished their discussion. "Please come back together. We have a lot to get through to keep on schedule."

The various ninja still standing about quickly moved to their spots and lowered themselves down behind their tables. No one wanted to draw the lingering ire they spotted in the man. Reiko wasn't observably annoyed, but she'd proven to be a spectacular actress, so hiding her true feelings wasn't difficult for her.

"The agenda for this afternoon is to go over the requirements for room and board and to discuss possible sites for said housing. I'm hoping to have that all settled before we are finished today. That way, we can convene tomorrow to choose the best location. Once that's done, we can finalize the last few details for the official contract."

He took a sip of his tea and ran his eyes over the Konoha contingent. "Any questions?"

No one had any, so the Foreign Affairs Minister motioned towards Suzuki.

Suzuki cleared his throat and stood. Together, he and Lin passed out another stack of papers to the room. As they moved about, the man began speaking.

"Just like any other special project that the capital sends people on, the hosting party is required to provide some level of room and board. The Ishaan's position and importance to the nine Daimyos necessitate the approach of 'more is better'. During the refinement of the position, the three original Daimyo - Fire, Lightning, and Wind - all agreed that the same standards be observed across all countries and residences. That way, there is less room for inequality."

"Inequality?" Hashirama asked, wanting clarification but afraid of drawing another stinging rebuke from the man.

Kawakami cut in. "We all know the nations' leaders don't generally get along. While our Lordship created this position for the Ishaan to mitigate the risk of conflict, the fact remains that the Daimyo use the Ishaan as another method of competing with each other. Nothing is easier to compare than the value of houses or gifts."

Madara glanced at Reiko to judge her mood before speaking and met her gaze head-on. She seemed to be very aware of something sitting on the tip of his tongue and was silently challenging him to screw up his courage and voice it. It couldn't be helped, really. Madara had always hated being goaded.

"So, our Lordship is using this situation to one-up the others?"

Hashirama winced at the rude question, rightfully concerned with propriety, even as Kawakami frowned slightly at him. The minister was displeased at his insinuations, but didn't refute him. The royal didn't shift or change her expression, but the Uchiha got the impression she was pleased anyhow.

"While Ishaan is respected and liked on his own deserving merits, it's the nature of politics to jockey for status and superiority," Reiko chimed in. "Winning Ishaan's favor has been the latest game their Lordships have been playing these past few years."

"And is it hard to gain?" he asked her.

She smiled slightly. "It hasn't been officially won yet."

"And what would that look like?" Hashirama asked, showing a pleasantly shrewd side to himself.

Knowing that would help Konoha form its approach to the man. If the Daimyo was looking for more than to punish them, if he thought the clans still had short-term value in another game of his, then they needed to position themselves as best they could. Helping their Daimyo win this game of his was one tangible way of regaining his trust. If they could please him, he would likely be more lenient with them and more willing to extend mercy.

The woman's smile widened. "The Ishaan belongs to nine countries right now. Soon, that will expand to more than a dozen. There must be some way to manage the difficulties inherent in that. It was decided that the country holding his primary citizenship would be the central power in that management. Fire, as the compact originator, has that position by default. However, the Ishaan is free to change that at any time. He hasn't actually come out and affirmed that Fire is his preference.

"Winning," she continued with an easy air, "would be convincing him to choose. They all want to be the country Ishaan prefers above all others."

"Why not simply tell him to pick?" Shimiji asked, never being one to enjoy the cloak-and-dagger world of international politics.

"That defeats the purpose," Reiko explained. "The Daimyo have done the best they can to create an even playing field. They can't demand. They can't even ask since that would be viewed as excessive pressure."

Kawakami rejoined the conversation. "Our Lordship is adamant that the Ishaan's stay in Konoha is an easy and enjoyable one."

Madara looked over at him. "So, this is just to bribe the man?"

Reiko snorted, a shockingly vulgar sound from a refined female member of the royal family. "The Ishaan isn't easy to bribe, and he is certainly harder to buy."

"In all honesty," she said, leaning forward a little and casting her eye around the room, "he cares very little for the things the Daimyo throw at him. Gifts tend to pile up until he remembers they're there and gives them away as presents. He's as content staying in the royal wing of the palace as he is bedding down outside in a tent. He ignores their games because it makes his job easier. For all that he's befriended nation after nation, he hasn't set down any true roots. That's the ultimate proof of winning."

"And you believe Konoha can convince him?" Hashirama's tone was an odd mixture of hopeful and disbelieving.

Rieko stared him down. "My nephew thinks that being in one place for months on end while doing something that he loves in a way that suits him can go a long way towards settling Ishaan's wanderlust."

"Suits him?" Shikamoto inquired.

The woman studied the Nara carefully, using the time to think over her words carefully. "Ishaan is bored in the Capital and spends as little time as possible there. Politics, structured protocol, and rigid academics? It's not his favorite thing. I know it's not limited to Fire, either. Ishaan likes to be out and doing. There's very little 'doing' within palace walls."

"If he's so apathetic to trappings, why go through so much effort? Just give him what it is that he'd truly appreciate."

That was Takeo, and while Madara respected the man's bravery, he knew that what he had said was one of the most foolish things he could have said.

"Because it's about optics," the Uchiha leader answered before anyone else could. He turned in his seat to the right so he could look back at the Senju. "The Daimyo are in a game of one-upmanship. You don't win that by showing discretion. Go big, go flashy, or go home."

"Exactly," Nishimura agreed. "Yes, Ishaan prefers simpler things, which our Lordship doesn't ignore. But he can't be seen consistently giving substandard gifts. It is expected to spend money to prove that you have the money to spend."

"With that expectation as the standard, it's important that everything here reflects that. The honor guard will, no doubt, be reporting back to their Daimyo."

"Whoa, whoa!" Shimiji spoke up again and waved a hand. "Are you saying that he's bringing foreign ninja into our village?"

Kawakami nodded, "Yes."

"Is that really such a surprise, though?" Haruko asked her. Everyone turned to look at him. "This man is representing nine countries. Every single one of the major nations is competing for his favor. I would be shocked if those other Daimyo didn't insist on sending someone to ensure Fire is keeping to the rules and isn't trying to assert undue influence."

"Exactly," the lead minister nodded. "This is the first extended contract Ishaan is taking on of this nature. To ease concerns, Ishaan suggested sending a representative to supervise. That way, no one can cry foul later.

"With that, it was agreed that an honor guard would be formed. Each major nation would send two ninja. Each minor nation that has already signed would send one, and those that believe they will sign the compact within the next six months would send another. Stone and River don't have a dedicated shinobi force, so they banded together with the nonsignatory countries to pool their resources and hire an unaffiliated shinobi clan. All totaled, the guard will consist of 25 ninja."

"What's the math there?" Izuna spoke up. "I'm counting 13."

"As host, Fire will be making up half the roster. This is to help combat security breaches as well as prove a point to the other countries." Reiko ticked her fingers as she drawled. "Two from Lightning, Wind, Water and Earth. One from Jungles. Whirlpool is trying to position itself as an up-and-coming power, so it elected to send three. And the other minor nations are sending one shared shinobi. That's 13. The capital will send 12."

"That's a lot of people," Hashirama said faintly, no doubt thinking about the potential logistical nightmare of housing so many individuals for half a year.

Nishimura bobbed his head. "Which is why this discussion is so necessary. We need to ensure that you have the resources required to support this endeavor."

Suzuki, having returned to his seat while they all were speaking, waved his packet idly in the air. "You can see here that there are basic expectations. Konoha will be given a list of foods and beverages that you are responsible for providing. If Ishaan or his entourage desires anything outside that list that wasn't simply missed in the drafting, he will bear the cost.

"Also, if there are any unofficial visitors, the cost of housing and feeding them will fall to Ishaan. If the visitor is directly related to the Konoha contract, you will be responsible for the costs, even if they lodge with the Ishaan."

"That's fair," the Hokage agreed. "When will the list be provided?"

"Within the month," Suzuki affirmed. "We're waiting on the finalized list of who will be on the guard roster. Some clans have a specialized diet, and we're determining who will cover that cost and how easily it will be to source those foods."

"A month?" Madara frowned. "When will the Ishaan be arriving?"

"As of now, just shy of two months. The expected arrival date is the second-to-last Friday in June." Reiko answered him. "As was mentioned this morning, he has current work that had to be rescheduled. He's shifted as much of it as he could so it could be completed before he started this one. From our understanding, he's working back-to-back to complete everything. The last scheduled project is to begin in Stone sometime mid-June and only take a couple of days."

"That works in your favor," Nishimura pointed out. "You'll need time to build the estate and furnish it. I know the Senju can grow their buildings, but this way, you're not as rushed."

Hashirama nodded thoughtfully as he stared down at his desk's surface. After a moment, the Hokage plucked up the brush sitting at the top edge of the table and dipped it into the corresponding ink jar. He pulled out a blank piece of parchment and began to jot down notes.

"You mentioned an estate," he said absently. "Can you expand on that?"

"Certainly," the Finance Minister said, a little bit pleased at the other man's professional interest. "The tier of the contract dictates the level of housing. For short-term work, only short-term lodging suitable for mid-level officials is required. Long-term, extended, and ongoing contracts, however, all require separate housing dedicated to the Ishaan's personal use. The standard for that must be the equivalent of what an upper-level official would receive.

"Specifics are listed in the packet, but housing must be large enough to accommodate the Ishaan's main household, regardless of the tier. The Ishaan's main household generally accompanies him on any contract lasting longer than three days. Dedicated housing, such as what will be required here, must also be large enough to accommodate an entourage of extended family, servants, and guards. There will be the honor guard, but the Fire Daimyo is also sending a small number of servants to support this large a party. That's in addition to the Ishaan's servants, of course."

"It sounds like he's a bit of a nomad, but he has servants?" Inojiro asked.

Kawakami chuckled. "He has multiple properties, Yamanaka-san. He doesn't stay long at any of them, as he is almost always working or travelling, but he refuses to fire any of the staff who were employed when they were gifted to him. He has the money to support them, so he does. The staff continue as they had when the properties were in probate."

"So he'll be bringing some of his own people, but there will be some from the Daimyo as well."

"Yes."

"And extended family?" Madara asked, wanting clarification.

"He's bringing his brother and a cousin, from my understanding. With the size of the party, Ishaan is understandably a little overwhelmed. He's hoping they can help manage the expected chaos."

"I don't blame him," Choko breathed, a little wide-eyed at contemplating the scope of involvement needed to manage such a varied group.

The man had suggested the honor guard, true, but the Uchiha wouldn't be shocked if he'd done so with the expectation of only a half-dozen or so people. Now, they were looking at upwards of forty or fifty people. That was more than some of the Fire clans outside Konoha. Family, servants, guards... a standard household was difficult enough, but one where familiar faces were outnumbered by strangers at least two to one? Madara wanted to shudder at the notion.

"The Daimyo doesn't blame him either. That's why he's sending someone to be a member of the Ishaan's main household to help with all that as well. She'll also act as the intermediary for Ishaan's primary contract work."

"So, how many people are we looking at?" The Mokuton user looked up, his expression now business-like as he had something tangible to focus on.

"We're estimating anywhere between 45 and 60 people. The Ishaan's main household fluctuates, but he usually has at least six individuals with him. So, the 25 guard members and an estimated 12 family members bring us to 37, but round that to 40. Most of those we're unsure about are the servants and any potential ongoing guests. Ishaan hasn't decided on the number of servants he's pulling in, and the Daimyo needs to confer with his wife on who is best to send."

Yoko paused. He reached over to refill his cup, most likely needing a short rest for his throat, but Lady Sada beat him to it. She smiled up at him from under her lashes as delicate fingers held the lid closed and poured. The softness that Madara had come to expect by now from the man whenever he focused on his wife warmed the politician's gaze as he stared down at her. Once Sada withdrew, Yoko took a sip and then set the cup down.

"I'd say to plan for 55 people but build in space to accommodate more if needed."

Hashirama nodded before making more notes on his paper. Everyone gave him a minute or two to work through whatever it was he was trying to determine. Finally, after one last flourish of ink over parchment, the man looked up and motioned at his writing with his brush.

"So, 55 people of various types, with the expectation of numerous visitors over time. It must meet upper-level official standards, so I assume that means separate quarters. That speaks to land. And if the Daimyo hopes this to become at least a common home for the Ishaan, if not his primary one, that would mean more land than usually allocated to a secondary estate for a minister."

Kawakami nodded, satisfied with the astute assessment. "Correct. Also, while this would meet the Daimyo's requirement to provide the Ishaan housing, it is your village. He hopes that you will be willing to gift this estate to Ishaan in perpetuity."

The Hokage was quiet as he thought that request over. Madara's breathing slowed until he was nearly holding it entirely. The answer to the question wasn't something anyone could interfere with. Whatever Hashirama decided, they'd have to live with the consequences.

"I see no real problem with granting this request," he answered eventually, his voice carefully modulated. "I would be willing to approve it conditionally."

"And what conditions would those be?" The Foreign Affairs minister observed Konoha's leader hawkishly.

"First," the Senju began, "wherever the estate is built, it will take land from its current owners. Before granting the rights to it in perpetuity, I would like to gain the approval of the current owners. If that clan leader agrees to the permanent loss of land rights, I see no reason to block Ishaan's everlasting residency."

"Wise," the minister allowed. "What else?"

"There is the concern of loyalty," Hashirama pointed out bravely. "I understand that our Lordship trusts him, and I trust in our Lord. However, this man is a stranger with influence that stretches into the other major nations, where they are attempting to build their own shinobi villages. I would ask that he take an official oath that he would not pass on sensitive information or clan knowledge without permission."

This time, Kawakami didn't respond right away. Instead, he turned to Reiko to silently ask for her opinion.

"Would you accept a signed declaration, witnessed by the Fire Daimyo, that is ensured by Whirlpool truth seals?" She tapped her right pointer finger on the desk's top. "With the precarious position you're in, I understand that there are valid concerns for your people. However, I'm leery of agreeing to an oath on the Ishaan's behalf. Oaths can be tricky and dip into territory best not visited unplanned."

After a moment to think about the suggested compromise, Hashirama nodded. "We are allies with Whirlpool, and I trust them as I trust our Lord. I would rest easier with a promise ensured by them both."

"Good. Liu-san, please make sure that the request is drafted tonight. I'll sign off on it."

"Yes, Lady Reiko." Lin bowed his head at the order and made a careful note on a different piece of parchment.

"Any other conditions, Lord Hokage," Kawakami asked.

"If the current owners do not agree to give up full rights to the land, we will move the estate to another area after the contract is over. We reserve the right to review the Ishaan's ongoing needs at that time. If the full scope of the property isn't needed, Konoha may decrease the amount of land allocated."

"Only with the Ishaan's explicit permission," Reiko countered. "And it is only the parcel size up for debate. The structures themselves will either be moved in full, or he will be compensated for a lesser arrangement."

Hashirama inclined his head gracefully. "Agreed."

"Anything else?" she inquired.

"I would like to hold this topic open for now so I can confer with my advisors."

"We're amenable to that request," she acquiesced. "But any further conditions must be presented no later than tomorrow after lunch. They will be included in the final contract."

"Yes, Lady Reiko," he said respectfully.

"Good." Yoko waved a hand at his packet. "There are specific requirements that must be included in the construction. Some are at Ishaan's insistence, as this will be his long-term residence for at least six months, but the nature of his work dictates most. Once the contract is signed, a court architect will be assigned to assist with planning and layout. They would arrive within a week and a half."

"What requirements?" Hashirama perked up, interested in the perceived challenge.

"Separation between different classifications of rooms, mainly. The architect would know the specifics. He'll also have the Ishaan's essentials as well."

It was clear Kawakami didn't consider this portion of the talks all that important. Indeed, from his perspective, it wasn't. He needed to know the Ishaan had particular requisites, but not what they were. That was what specialists were for. Madara found it a relief that the Daimyo was going to send someone to take point on that project. He didn't enjoy the notion of having to rein in Hashirama when it came to building the thing.

"Hmm... what size lot are you thinking?"

What followed between Nishimura and Hashirama was an intensive debate and then negotiation of land acreage and quality that honestly went over the Uchiha's head. While Madara was involved in his clan's move to Konoha, he had left much of the technical work to Izuna and Hikaku. Sometimes, he regretted that a little when he woke up and had to travel so far to the tower for work. Finally, both sides of the discussion were satisfied with the outcome, and all that was needed was options on where to stick the thing.

It wouldn't be easy. A lot that size would eat up space that most of the clans simply didn't have due to their lower population. Larger clans had more room to expand. On top of that, prime real estate was already developed or earmarked for construction within the next year or two. Wherever they built the estate, someone would lose valuable land.

Which was the point if you thought about it. While the Ishaan didn't charge nearly what this project would probably run, the Daimyo was forcing them to make up for it by gifting the man an expensive plot of land that they couldn't easily reclaim. The materials used to build, furnish, and decorate the place would also cost them a pretty penny. The Ishaan asked for little. Whether that was because he didn't care about the money or because he knew his patrons would require additional expenditures was the question.

However, beyond all that was the initial concern he brought up to Shikamoto and Haruko two weeks ago. The Nara and Hyuuga, after all, were the only other clans that had the space needed to build a house for their guest readily available.

"It's the security," he'd complained over sake the next night after they'd sent their agreement to the Daimyo. "He's a logistical nightmare. I know we can't stop him from accessing village information, but imagine all the clan secrets!"

"Agreed," Haruko nodded, his sake cup pressed against his lower lip. "We have to manage his access as best we can."

"Manage him, you mean," Shikamoto shot at them. "Spying on him."

Black eyes regarded the Nara with disbelief. "You have a problem with that?"

Shikamoto snorted and tipped his cup back. "Of course not. We're shinobi. Spying is what we do, but we do need to be careful about how we go about it."

"Make it subtle?" the Uchiha asked.

The Nara shook his head. "I'm thinking make it easy."

The Hyuuga narrowed his white eyes thoughtfully. "You're suggesting we stick him inside the Hyuuga or Uchiha compounds? Surround him with people who naturally see more."

Shikamoto nodded. "Precisely."

With that conversation in mind, Madara spoke up for the first time in almost an hour.

"Hokage-sama," Everyone turned to him, and he focused his attention on his friend and leader. "The Uchiha would like to be the first clan to offer the needed space. We have a few areas that would suffice."

Hashirama gave him a broad grin. "That's a wonderful offer! I'm sure the Senju could also house him."

"Unfortunately not, Lord Hokage," Touka refused. When Hashirama turned to her, she continued. "The free space we have is broken up into several smaller plots, and I am not comfortable moving the families needed to combine them all into one usable one. Additionally, I'm concerned about the optics. It could be seen as the Senju clan trying to solidify power if the Ishaan's home is firmly entrenched in Senju territory when the village leader is from that same clan."

Haruko stepped in, drawing Hashirama's attention off his cousin. "I agree. While it's not ideal, the Hyuuga also have some space. Though not as much as the Uchiha. After careful reworking of our growth plan, we could restructure our earmarked construction."

Nishimura frowned in thought. "So, at least three options, two from the Uchiha and one from the Hyuuga?"

Madara nodded.

The Land Minister looked down at his desk and played with his brush. "That actually sounds ideal. If the Ishaan were situated close to one of the noble clans, that would put the Daimyo more at ease." He glanced over at Reiko. "Your thoughts, Lady?"

Reiko was quiet for a while, longer than anyone expected, and it made the ninja uncomfortable. Her gaze was piercing as she studied both Madara and Haruko. Instinctively, the fire user knew the Daimyo's aunt was aware of the real reason behind their offers.

"You should be aware," she began at last, her tone even as she settled her gaze on Madara, "that there are further stipulations on the housing. One of those is that Ishaan is allowed to further fortify his home as he sees fit. As a friend and patron, Lord Uzumaki will doubtlessly provide seal work for warding and protection."

Spying on him won't work, was what she meant. The other nations will help protect his secrets.

A muscle in Madara's jaw twitched in irritation, and he clenched it lightly to stop the sensation. That was the only outward evidence that her words had any impact. He smiled at the woman.

"No doubt. Perhaps it's advantageous that Lord Uzumaki's eldest daughter is in residence here then. She could help him in warding his new home. After all, no one is better at seal work than an Uzumaki."

Reiko smiled at him, seeming to enjoy his attempt around the setback to their dastardly plan. "Mayhaps. But he may also accept aid directly from the island. They are, after all, sending three members as honor guard. Who is to say that one of them won't be Uzumaki? Also, he could just decide to hire a group of seal masters to visit the village. I doubt your Lord Hokage would find fault in allowing an ally to visit. Add to that, those visitors would be the countrymen and family of both Princess Mito and the Ishaan."

Oh, she was very good. Very good, indeed.

"Very wise," he complimented her. "We will have to wait to see, then. I do not doubt that Princess Mito will be more than enough to help assist."

"We'll see," Reiko acquiesced. She turned to Kawakami. "Is there anything left to cover?"

"Not on this topic. The rest of the details can be found in the packets provided, and I recommend that the clan leaders and heirs review all the information contained in them tonight to discuss tomorrow if needed."

"Good." She glanced at Suzuki. "Anything to add?"

The Finance Minister kept silent and merely shook his head.

"Very well. Lord Yoko, please move on to the last portion of what we need to cover for today."

"Of course, Lady Reiko." Kawakami stood and bowed to her slightly before motioning at Liu. At the queue, Lin gathered another stack of packets and began handing them out. Kawakami remained standing at his desk while he did so. When Lin had returned to his seat, the senior minister began to speak.

"The final subject we need to cover before negotiations is the scope of the contract as it is right now and the level of impact the Ishaan will have on it." He looked to Hashirama and kept his gaze as he continued. "Most of this can be expanded upon, but, like with the base price, cannot be negotiated down."

Well, that was foreboding.

"Please, continue, Lord Kawakami," Hashirama acknowledged the man's proclamation.

"First, the scope. Plainly, the Ishaan is being tasked with correcting the previously identified issues. In the process of doing so, he will also be charged with identifying and correcting unnoted deficiencies and further opportunities that can lead to enhancements. Those enhancements are not limited to a logistical scope. The ultimate goal is to ensure the continued long-term operations of Konoha. That includes the operational independence you currently have.

"Further, in his role as Ishaan, he is to act as a mediator between Konoha, Fire, and the other countries as needed. That means that, at times, he may be called upon to step out of this contract to act as a representative to foreign Daimyo. When required, he will do the same for the Fire Daimyo."

His expression tightened as he stared at Hashirama. "Which leads us to the next thing. His authority.

"The Ishaan, as the highest representative to the Daimyo, will be invested with his Lordship's full authority in relation to this contract. That authority will extend over all Konoha clans as it pertains to completing the contracted work. At the same time, the Ishaan will not be allowed to interfere in day-to-day clan operations unless it is deemed an emergency. Even then, there must be a superseding cause for concern, and his actions will be reviewed for potential abuse of authority.

"He will have the ability to censure and penalize Konoha as it pertains to the scope of work. Part of that is to ensure that national law, barring the obvious exceptions uniquely inherent to shinobi, is upheld. If absolutely necessary, in the face of total collapse, he can assume leadership. Again, this is subject to review afterward for potential abuse of authority."

Madara breathed out a shaky breath, horrified at what he was hearing. He sent out careful tendrils of chakra to gauge the state of the room as best he could. And while he wasn't an empath, it wasn't a surprise to feel the jumpy and spasming chakra that seemed to denote shock and alarm in his fellow clan leaders. From behind his right shoulder, Izuna was internally panicking. With these stipulations, they'd effectively lose all control. If this man wished it, he could ruin the clans as long as it was framed as necessary to ensure the contract was successful.

"I see your fears," Kawakami acknowledged. "I understand them. I do. However, these things are only put forward to ensure Konoha comes out of this changed and improved. Your home is falling apart, and to keep it intact, you need to work quickly. Can you honestly tell me that you would do what was needed as quickly as required, or at all, if you weren't united under a single project lead?"

They couldn't. They couldn't tell Kawakami that. Restructuring an entire village from the ground up in six months? That wasn't going to happen if they divided responsibilities between clans or project groups. Too many cooks in the kitchen would merely result in ruined food. It was harsh, but the Daimyo's concerns about their competency were understandable, given that he had to rely solely on Kato's logistical report.

And the outcome of the marriage contract investigations. He couldn't forget the fact that Hashirama had, seemingly willfully, undermined himself to the Daimyo, all but screaming his inability to lead. The Daimyo likely wanted to prevent Hashirama from making impactful decisions in the project. If the top position in the village was proven to be a failure at leadership, who else in the village could Fire's ruler regard as trustworthy? No one, most likely. Better to put his faith in the man he'd been working with for the past decade and who he knew for a fact could get the job done.

"Exactly," the minister observed. "You asked for the Ishaan's assistance in saving your village. The Daimyo insisted on providing him every bit of leverage possible to do so."

Hashirama, as pale as Madara had ever seen him, nodded faintly, and the acknowledgment was enough to please the minister. It had to be clear, though, that they weren't comforted by Kawakami's words. However, the man hadn't been sent to coddle them, and the Uchiha knew Yoko could have been much, much harsher in his delivery of that news. Things were dire enough as they were without adding a lead-lined punch to the gut on top of it.

Reiko tapped her knuckles on the desk to draw their attention. Her expression, while stern, wasn't cruel. A muted sympathy lurked in her posture and then her words when she decided to speak.

"This is for the length of the contract. It's not intended to be permanent." The seriousness hardened into something steely as she continued, her gaze slowly drifting over every shinobi there before her. "However, while it may seem extreme to you, remember that this is often how civilian towns and cities are run. This is how the Capital is managed. The shinobi clans have been exempt from this by the grace of the ruling families. It does not mean that you are beyond oversight.

"Your clans have been allowed to operate with minimal supervision because, independently, you always had the capability of policing yourselves. However, this current situation is not sustainable. You must rectify it yourselves while you still have the opportunity. Otherwise, our Lord will have no other choice but to step in. No one wants that. Am I understood?"

They murmured their assent, staggeredly, and did their best to hide their shakiness and nausea.

She nodded and let the authoritative air about her dissipate. Her entire demeanor eased. Her shoulders lost the rigid quality, and her smile lines returned to their natural resting place around her mouth and eyes. Relaxing back in her seat, she nodded at them before glancing out the side window at the afternoon's slowing-expanding shadows.

"I think we're in a perfect place to stop for the day." She turned her attention to Hashirama and smiled at him, trying to alleviate the remaining tension in the room. "When were you planning on the dinner beginning?"

Hashirama inhaled, forcing his distress down, and returned her smile with a quirk of his lips. "We will be gathering at seven, dinner to begin at eight. We have a specially constructed pavilion for the event."

"Lovely. If we break now, we'll have approximately three hours before reconvening. What say you, Lord Hokage?"

"That sounds like a solid plan, Lady Reiko," the village's leader agreed. He dipped his head at her and then at the rest of the delegation. "We'll send an attendant to your accommodations at six-thirty to escort you to dinner."

"Good. That will give us enough time to get ready."

With some unspoken signal, Suzuki and Kawakami stood to assist Reiko and Sada from their seats, respectively. The finance minister carefully held out a hand and provided an anchor for the elderly woman as she gracefully rose from behind the table. He kept his head bowed slightly and eyes down, careful not to overstep himself again. Reiko thanked the man before turning her focus onto Madara and Haruko.

"Lords Hyuuga and Uchiha?"

"Yes, Lady Reiko?" they both asked in tandem.

"Where should we meet tomorrow morning? We need to settle on the plot of land for Ishaan's estate."

The two shinobi glanced at each other, silently communicating. It was best if the Ishaan was situated in Uchiha territory, the Sharingan making the clan better suited for subtle observation. So, they needed to present the Uchiha prospects as the preferable option. That meant it would be best to display the Hyuuga land first, framing it in the most unappealing light possible. All that was passed between the two clan heads before Hyuuga flicked his left hand, hidden in the folds of his robes, at him. Madara turned back to the Daimyo's aunt.

"Hyuuga first, I think. Then, the two areas in the Uchiha compound. My brother will meet you in the morning to escort you to the Hyuuga land."

The woman nodded, not arguing the arrangement. "Would eight suffice? I would like to have a decision before breaking for lunch."

Haruko inclined his head. "It would, Your Ladyship."

"Good. Until dinner, then."

With that, she led the contingent out of the room, Aoi bringing up the rear. They'd be returning to their temporary house to change and then relax until someone arrived to lead them to dinner. The meal would be semi-formal, so it would probably take the two women a while to get ready. This worked out nicely since the clan leaders would need time of their own to prepare for the event before meeting up at the pavilion to discuss the day and its revelations.

Chapter Text

The pavilion was situated in one of the central training fields close to the Hokage tower. Hashirama had been the one to suggest it. Surprisingly, the clan heads all agreed to the idea, liking the notion of holding the party outside, where more people could attend, while still having a dedicated shelter.

Earth-release specialists from all the clans, few and insufficient though they were, gathered the day after the convoy arrived to flatten the already cleared land. Midmorning, they'd finished their work so the Akimichi could step up and lay out the rough placement of the main structure as well as the temporary kitchen. Once that had been done, they'd all taken a break for lunch while Hashirama grew sprouts along the sketched-in lines. Later, they adjusted the placement of things slightly and then expanded the pavilion until everyone was satisfied with the layout.

The final product was a beautiful structure. Rectangular in shape, it was large enough to seat a hundred people under its tall roof easily. Everything was oak, a platform with dozens of thick pillars to support a heavy ceiling fifteen feet up. For added privacy, flowering vines of rich green with splashes of pink and light purple dropped down from the building's roof, mimicking the usual heavy canvas walls that tents employed. Engravings of lily magnolias and peonies bloomed across the wooden beams, growing up columns as deer danced over and around them. Swallows swooped and soared, dodging around floating cherry blossoms.

Hashirama had taken the time to form matching banquet tables and chairs. They'd decided on ten, with a dozen seats each. To accompany them, Touka summoned a handful of Senju clan seamstresses to craft cushions, table runners, and napkins as quickly as possible. Women from the other clans caught wind of the project and joined the effort. By the end of the next day, the result was an understated but pleasing celebration of the season.

Standing off to the side of the pavilion, close to where the pathway between the building and the makeshift kitchens was, Madara studied the space with a critical eye. While it wouldn't have passed muster normally, he doubted Reiko would purposefully find fault in the rushed work. After all, the Daimyo had changed the delegation lineup at the last minute with no notice to Konoha.

Someone had set out lamps on the tables, which were being lit by several villagers who were acting as servers for the evening. The man watched them as they deftly weaved in and out of the tables.

"He does good work."

It was grudging but honest. Izuna sidled up beside him, dressed in semi-formal attire, studying the expanse as keenly as he had. His hair was brushed back and glistened with oil. He looked so grown up at that moment, and Madara felt his chest tighten with nostalgia.

"He does."

His little brother scowled briefly before wiping the displeasure away. "I hate having to admit that."

Madara snorted and bumped his shoulder into Izuna's. "Who's going to get the guests?"

Izuna sighed. "Tadasu."

"Hyuuga's son?" The Uchiha leader thought about that for a moment before snorting meanly. "Figures."

Tadasu Hyuuga was the eldest son but the second child. While Haruko's daughter was his heir and the one to attend the Ishhan talks, the man made little effort to hide his favoritism. If he had his way, Tadasu would be the official successor and not Kaya. However, the Hyuuga elders preferred the daughter and had enough influence to force their choice. Tadasu being assigned to escort the Daimyo's party to dinner was most likely some backward attempt at bolstering his son's standing in the clan.

"Think he'll screw it up?"

There was an undercurrent of pettiness there, and it made Madara want to smile. Neither of them particularly liked Tadasu. He was in his thirties and held his age over many younger shinobi, even Madara and Hashirama when he could get away with it. Living into your third decade as an active ninja tended to earn you a good deal of respect. Neither Uchiha thought much of him, though. Yes, he had been active, still was even, but the Hyuuga clan tended to avoid fighting in general. A Byakugan user saw significantly less action than someone from another clan. His father's favoritism didn't help either.

"No," Madara admitted with disappointment.

"Damn." He glanced at his younger sibling with a raised eyebrow, and Izuna grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest. "You know what I mean."

He huffed a little laugh. "Yeah, but I doubt Haruko would risk it. Not if it reflects badly on his clan. Speaking of... the others should be here any minute."

Each clan would bring no more than fourteen people, which allowed for guests from the visiting dignitaries. The Uchiha would bring their top three members, elders, and the spouses of the elders. That was thirteen members of their family. He wasn't sure who would be coming from the other clans. Though he hoped, futilely, that the Senju elders would remain behind.

"What are the seating arrangements?" Izuna asked, eyeing the tables.

"I'm not sure. I was going to ask Mito since I think she was taking point on that while we were in the talks."

"Smart," the younger male nodded.

A few minutes later, around 6:30, the clans began to arrive. They trickled in a few at a time to begin with, but the flow increased as what looked to be mostly elders began to come together in groups. He spotted Hikaku leading the Uchiha contingent and waved his hand at his cousin. The young man spotted the motion and directed their clansmen to follow him to where he and Izuna had parked themselves.

"Madara," Hikaku greeted. "Where should we sit?"

"I'm not sure yet. I think Mito is in charge of that."

"She is," Touka confirmed as she entered from the kitchens behind them. She smiled at Izuna, making his little brother cringe back a tiny bit, and then turned her attention back to Madara. "She'll be arriving shortly. She's walking with Hashirama, who insists on walking with the elders."

Madara's face twisted into a scowl before he could stop himself. He cleared the expression as soon as it appeared, but knew that everyone around him had seen it. From the corner of his eye, he thought he spotted two of the elders trade looks with each other and then their wives.

"Too bad those assholes couldn't stay behind," Izuna grumped, drawing a tisk from their grand-aunt, the sole female elder.

The Senju leader smiled at him again, a flash of sharp teeth behind red lips. "Oh, they simply couldn't turn down the invitation."

He wanted to ask her if there was some trap she was laying for the decrepit fucks, but thought better of it. Her grievances with her clan's elders were known, and they didn't need to draw attention to it with a dozen or so capital personnel about to join them. Madara only hoped that if there was an ulterior motive, it didn't blow up in their faces.

"Lady Senju," Hiei, another elder, spoke up, "Might I be overstepping myself if I compliment you on your attire? You look even more lovely than you usually do."

Touka slid her gaze over to the man to study him with a shrewd regard. To his credit, Hiei Uchiha stood his ground and refused to flinch under the woman's ferine stare. He stood relatively still and allowed the woman to judge his honesty.

And that was what it was.

The Senju woman did look lovely, wrapped up in a light blue Kimono with mountain scenery scattered with flowers from all four seasons. An obi of silver with brocade wisteria flowers wrapped around her, a fan tucked into it. Her hair was done up, makeup applied to make her appearance softer, and she wore sandals the same color as her kimono. Her nails were painted pink, a shade off from the vining flowers and various cushions around the gazebo. Overall, she cut a very different picture than usual.

Touka bowed her head slightly to Hiei. "Thank you, Uchiha-san. And it's not an overreach. I'm actually relieved. I dislike dressing up, you see. And not many people could get me in a kimono if it wasn't mission-critical."

The male elder's eyebrow twitched; the man clearly wanted to ask but was debating how wise it would be to do so.

Izuna had no such qualm. "And who would that be? Mito, I'm sure. But who else? Hashirama?"

Touka snorted. "Oh no, that idiot learned his lesson the first time he tried."

"Oh," his little brother's eyes glinted at the hint of juicy gossip. "Oh, do tell."

The woman's smile stretched, and at the same time, it became both predatory and genuine. "He tried playing matchmaker with a new boy in the clan. He assumed I'd like the kid if I just gave him a shot. The parents were old-fashioned, though, so he thought I'd win them over if I dressed up."

The smile sharpened, and her dark eyes flickered with vindictive mirth. "I set him on fire. Never tried that foolishness again."

Madara, Hikaku, and several of the elders all sputtered at that.

Izuna, poor man, turned very pale before lighting up like the sun. "Really?! Did you use a match or something?"

"Jutsu," she answered. "Flame bullet."

That perked a couple of their group up, garnering the Senju member closer scrutiny.

"You can use flame release?" One of the wives asked.

Touka nodded. "I don't know a lot, mind you. It's always been frowned on for Senju to use the same techniques you all do. But, Tobi thought that restriction was dumb anyways."

"Tobi?" Makodo, their great-aunt, inquired. She studied the female clan leader with a shark-like intensity. "As in Lord Tobirama, your cousin?"

"Yep." Touka nodded to the woman. "He taught me when he found out I was good at it."

"But!" Izuna sputtered. "But he was horrible at it!"

She glared at him. "Only compared to you pyros! Tobi could hold his own against someone who wasn't born breathing embers. Besides, not being able to do something yourself doesn't mean you can't understand it. And if Tobi understands something, he can probably explain it. He found out I'd be good at using fire, so he wanted me to have the choice of using it if I wanted to!"

Madara stepped in, hoping to calm the woman down. "I'm sure he taught you well if you were able to set Hashirama on fire."

She smirked proudly. "He screamed like a little boy until Tobi put him out."

Izuna snorted. "How'd he do that? Throw a bucket of water on him?"

"Try a small pond. Hashirama smelled like algae for days. It was so bad that Butsuma gave him a mission to get rid of the stench."

Hikaku blinked rapidly for a second or two before joining the conversation. "I'm sorry, but did you say a pond?"

"Yep," she agreed, popping the last consonant pleasantly. "Not all of it, mind you. He didn't want to kill the fish. He left enough water behind for them."

"So he just... what? Tossed him in?" That was Kai, another elder.

"Oh no," Touka laughed. "Tobi got tired of yelling at Hashirama to stop running and to drop and roll. So, he grabbed most of the water from the nearby pond, dragged it over Hashi, and let it go. The entire thing crashed down on the idiot, putting the fire out but drenching him in scum and muck."

Izuna slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the inappropriate giggle that tried to escape.

"And the Ghost?" he asked. "Was he an idiot, too?"

The woman snorted in disgust. "He just kept putting himself out."

Makodo's eyes widened. "'Kept'?"

Touka grimaced at the slip. "There may have been a few arson attempts before we reached a compromise."

Madara felt his jaw drop and lips part slowly, horrified at what he was hearing. "You tried setting Tobirama on fire multiple times?"

"It's not like he couldn't do the same!" she argued. "He tried drowning me often enough."

"That's because you refused to learn how to swim," Takeo rebutted, approaching the group with a plain-looking man at his side.

"Oh, shut up, Takeo," Touka groused. "Butsuma was just being an ass. He wouldn't have really done it."

The soldier and temporary heir scoffed. "He would have, and you know it."

"Done what?" Madara asked, concern for the woman automatic now whenever that bastard's name cropped up.

Touka sighed and rolled her eyes. "He liked to joke that he'd throw me off the boat whenever I went with him to Whirlpool. Let me cool my heels in the ocean for a while."

Izuna's giggling died down immediately, and he stared at her with a wide gaze. "But you couldn't swim..."

"He wouldn't have done it," she complained again. "He was just full of hot air."

Izuna opened his mouth to say something, but Madara caught the sharp shake of Takeo's head and the dark expression on the unfamiliar Senju's face and pressed his sandal against his brother's shin. The signal for silence registered, and his sibling shut his mouth and shot his elder brother a perceptive flick of his eyes. Madara felt a return pressure against his foot and knew that he'd be fielding some very pointed questions in the immediate future.

"So," the Uchiha heir drawled, changing his intended question. "You scared him off?"

Touka flushed as Takeo scoffed, and the other man laughed openly.

"Oh no," the soldier replied with a grin. "Lord Tobirama was a stubborn little shit. He'd just put himself out and then sit on her until she gave in."

"Takeo!" Touka cried, the flush deepening.

But the man just grinned at his clan head. "And since he was sopping wet from the attempted arson, she got soaked, too. Which meant she had to change clothes anyway. He'd douse whatever clothes she tried to put on until she gave in."

Most of the group broke out into laughter at that, the amusement only deepening further when the unknown Senju jumped in.

"Lady Touka got tired of looking like a drowned rat."

Touka snarled at her clansmen, the flush now from anger rather than humiliation. "I'm going to kill you two!"

Takeo's smirk just got wider. "Not until after this circus is over, you can't."

There was a low snarl from the woman, and she stretched her fingers in waves as if she was readying them to claw her heir's face off. However, the other man bumped Takeo and smiled at Touka.

"You know we're only joking, Lady Touka."

"You, maybe. But this asshole deserves a good beating."

The man laughed. "You can kick Takeo's ass later in the ring," he assuaged. "You need to play nice tonight and not ruin that kimono."

Touka blinked at that, the ire quickly dying as she thought it over. Her good humor reinstated itself, and she leered at the now uncomfortable soldier.

"Now hold on..." Takeo said, worry blooming across his face as he slowly backed away from his leader and the gathered group. "Let's talk about this."

The Senju woman's grin widened, stretching further and further until it appeared to be splitting her skull in half. An illusion, because it had to be a genjutsu, rippled across her face. It seemed as if the woman was on the cusp of some grotesque metamorphosis. Sharp, white teeth elongated, razors shining in the lamplight. Color bled from her skin, leaving her pale and sickly looking with purple splotches under hellfire-burning eyes. If he didn't know better, Madara would swear the woman beside him was a demon, something hideous and terrifyingly Other. A fiend finally shedding its human costume, crawling its way out of a discarded husk to—

"Touka, stop playing with your food."

As abruptly as the terror began to take root in the group, the devil withdrew, leaving behind a beautiful, smiling Touka. The shock of it startled all the Uchiha, and Izuna wheezed from beside him. Takeo was pale, but Madara had a feeling it was from the threat of going toe to toe with his clan leader in the ring and not her nightmarish hallucination.

Mito had strolled up to them in the distraction. She was dressed in Whirlpool finery, her hair out of its usual buns and woven around a crown of pink coral. Her robes were a shade of purple that complemented the tiny flecks of color found in her headdress if you looked close enough.

"Aww, ruin my fun," Touka complained to her cousin-in-law.

"You... you... demon..."

Izuna clutched at his chest and gaped at Touka with a wide, wide stare.

Mito sighed, put upon. "Really, Touka? And right before Reiko and the others arrive?"

The Whirlpool princess reached over and lightly slapped Izuna's cheek. The Uchiha didn't seem to notice, too busy gaping at Touka in fright. Mito sighed again before pulling the fan from her cousin's waist. She flipped it open and gently but firmly smacked Izuna across the face with it.

Izuna sputtered and jerked back, his gaze darting between a smug-looking Touka and a disapproving Mito. "What?"

Madara turned his attention to the Senju head. "That's what I'd like to know."

Touka pouted. Pouted! "It was just a little fun."

"Fun?!" Izuna screeched. He pointed at her, but then rapidly pulled the finger back when the woman focused her scarily satisfied expression on it. "You nearly gave us heart attacks!"

Hiei sidled up to the Senju and studied her. "What genjutsu was that? I haven't seen such a natural transition in quite a while. The Sharingan tends to be a bit abrupt."

"Uh..." She replied eloquently.

"Our Touka has a natural affinity for illusions," Mito answered for her.

"But why not use it?" Makodo asked, surprised and confused.

Touka scowled. "Against who? You? It's impossible. Besides, I don't want to be spec ops."

"What?" Madara straightened. "We aren't immune to genjutsu."

"Uh... yeah, you are. Tobi tried it a dozen times or so."

Izuna perked up. "I remember that! The asshole actually stalled me a couple times."

Madara groaned, understanding where the issue was. "Touka, Izuna and I are two of the most powerful Sharingan users in our clan. We" -he waved between him and his brother, "are not what you should be basing your standard on."

"So, if Tobi had tried it on someone else, it would have worked?"

"Was Tobirama as good at genjutsu as you?"

She scoffed brutishly. "He once made an elder think he'd been transformed into a duck for an entire day. He quacked the entire time."

They all stared at her, unsure if she was lying or not.

With a smile, she sighed. "Good times."

"Yes," Mito chimed in. Her own smirk was showing. "Little brother could probably be a master with the proper training."

"Proper training?" Izuna squawked. "You mean he was able to do all that without being taught?"

"Where'd he learn?" Madara asked, amazed at the discovery.

Touka looked at them with confusion. "Uh... scrolls? Kinda?"

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" Hiei pressed, concern in his tone. Madara was troubled as well. Teaching yourself genjutsu was dangerous. Without a specialist nearby, in case something goes wrong, you could easily hurt someone else, if not yourself.

"Well, I mean," her gaze darted between the dozen Uchiha staring at her intently. "We, uh, we didn't exactly have... well, it wasn't really acceptable to..."

"What Touka is trying to say," Mito cut in, lifting a hand to grasp Touka's elbow and draw her back and away from the Sharingan users so that the woman could breathe, "is that techniques and abilities that are viewed as inherently 'Uchiha' were not encouraged in the prior Senju regime."

"That," she said, pointing at Mito. "Tobi got his hands on a few scrolls on missions, but nothing major. He figured out enough from that."

"And once he understands something, he can explain it," Madara repeated.

Touka nodded, a familiar vulnerability lurking behind her body language.

"And the two of you wanted to learn?" Hiei asked gently, picking up on the same thing Madara had.

"I mean, it didn't interest Tobi all that much, but I thought it would be neat to make Izuna think he had bugs in his hair, and he thought that would be funny."

"Hey!"

"Lady Senju," Makodo pulled their attention. "That was a very impressive showing. If you'd like, I'm sure some specialists in the clan would greatly enjoy expanding your repertoire."

"You don't have to answer now," Madara quickly jumped in, not wanting the kunoichi to feel pressured.

"Sure. I'll... uh... I'll think about it," she decided.

Deciding to take mercy on her, Izuna changed topics. He glanced around the pavilion and then to Mito. "Where's the Barkbrain?"

The princess shot him a look of annoyance at the insult but didn't press it. "He's walking the elders over."

Touka whipped her head to the side. "I thought you were walking with them?"

"I was," she replied, "but Hashirama was dawdling, and I needed to get here to help with the arrangements. I went on ahead."

The Senju leader scowled at that. "Figures."

"So, where is everyone sitting?" Madara waved a hand at their group. "I doubt we're just picking a table."

"No, you're not."

It wasn't up for discussion, and both the Senju men and several of the Uchiha smirked at the appall dripping from her words. She motioned for them to follow, and she led them up the central aisle to the front tables. As they went, they spotted small cards at each seat, easily missed within the glasses and decor.

"Each person is assigned to a seat. Each clan should have a representative at as many tables as possible. The Uchiha have three main members and six elders, four of whom are married. That would normally be nine tables, but it was decided that Izuna should sit with Madara at the main table to offset two Senju."

"Hiei-san, you'll be at this table with your wife." She pointed to a placard that read 'Hiei Uchiha' and then the one to its left with his wife's name. "The two tables without Uchiha are the back tables by the kitchen."

The elders all nodded, looking around at the other spots, trying to identify their names. Before they split up, however, Touka moved closer and spoke too softly for anyone outside their group to hear.

"The Senju elders are similarly split up, unfortunately. I ask that you practice patience with them; they're not as settled into the village life as the Uchiha's honorable elders are. However, I need to know if they speak out of turn. This is a delicate situation we're in."

So that was her game, Madara realized.

It was no secret that the clan was furious with the bastards for driving Tobirama away during the truce negotiations. Add to that the general disgust and ire the rest of Konoha had for them for their part in Butsuma's marriage contracts, and it was no real surprise they rarely left the Senju compound. Why they hadn't been punished for their abuse of authority was a mystery, but many people felt strongly that they had unfairly escaped justice. When people's memories were stirred, unfavorable whispers about Hashirama's leadership were also revived.

Unfortunately, it was virtually impossible to punish them this long after the crime. The best chance to hold them accountable was right after their attempt with Tobirama. However, Hashirama hadn't utilized his authority as clan head to castigate them. So Touka's hands were tied. Unless they did something to warrant punishment now, she couldn't remove them.

And the elders knew it. They had been toeing the line ever since they moved into the village. The times that any of them left the compound were unpleasant, but they were careful not to overstep. The closest any of them came was back in the early days when Madara was touring the Senju area with Hashirama.

His friend had ducked away to help another clan member carry a heavy box when one of the ancient assholes passed by. He caught sight of Madara and wrinkled his nose. Madara had glared at the rudeness. The old man smirked and opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to think better of it. He'd quickly shut up and walked away instead. Hashirama, having just rounded the corner and come back into view, shouted a cheery goodbye to the man. Madara hadn't mentioned the bastard's near insult, not wanting to stir up trouble.

It wasn't surprising then that Touka was having difficulty with cleaning house. They were rightfully frightened of her since they knew she hated them and wasn't reluctant to use her position. One wrong move and the kunoichi would lunge and go for their throats. Splitting them up and sitting them with people that naturally triggered an argument was a prime trap. At least one of the fuckers would say something, anything, insulting enough to warrant redress by their clan head. Touka probably wasn't going to get another foolproof opportunity like this again for quite a while.

With a bland smile and the tip of her head, Touka wandered off towards the main table where the dignitaries would sit. Every Uchiha watched her go before swinging their gazes to Mito, still standing idly beside Madara.

"She wanted to stick them all at the same table in the back, but I vetoed that. It would look odd to have a single clan grouped together. Excuse me, I need to help everyone find their seats."

So, the two women were in on the plan together. Good to know.

His clansmen turned to him after she wandered off, silently asking for instruction. The Senju leader was all but asking for them to instigate trouble. On the one hand, there was no love lost between the two groups of elders. On the other hand, they would be in the presence of five important court officials.

Still, Madara honestly did dislike them. Just as much as he appreciated Touka. If she was finally asking for help after bottling it up and trying to handle it herself for years, he was disinclined to ignore that plea. Also, if it got rid of those fucks? Hmm...

"You heard the woman. Show some patience when conversing with the esteemed elders."

They all traded knowing looks, savvy enough to pick apart his words to find the meaning underneath. As long as it wouldn't blow back on them or cause too much of a scene, the Uchiha were welcome to egg the miserable fucks on. A few smickered between themselves before turning back to Madara and bowing slightly.

"We'll do our best to follow your wishes, Lord Madara," Makodo vowed, mirth coloring her promise.

Izuna waited until the group broke up to murmur in his ear before following after Touka's wake. "They're totally willing to start shit because of your crush on Tobirama."

Madara bristled. "I don't have a-" but cut himself off abruptly as nearby shinobi glanced at him in curiosity. He glared at his little brother's back hatefully, huffed, and looked away pointedly. Just in time to see Hashirama arrive with the Senju contingent.

The big man was wrapped up in a fine nagagi and haori of dark blue and a light grey hakama. His long hair was in a partial top-knot, the rest left to splay loosely down his back. He was smiling at everyone gathered as he entered, and his grin widened even further when he spotted Madara. He quickly swept over to him, the elders following behind him grudgingly.

There were seven of them, all of varying ages and statures. Most, Madara had learned over time, had been soldiers who decided to retire before they ran out of luck. Only two were civilians. Those two were supposedly critical overseers of the Senju trade and coffers in their day. All old-fashioned war-mongers, and displeased to be here if the pinched expressions were anything to go by.

"My friend!" Hashirama greeted him jovially. He slapped Madara on the back. "You look very nice. Who did you bring?"

"Hashirama," he greeted the other man, rolling his shoulder to shake out the light sting the contact had caused. "Izuna and Hikaku, of course, and the elders and their spouses."

The Hokage nodded. "Good, good! Touka wanted our elders here as well, of course. We'd be lost without them. I'm so glad we'll all be able to mingle."

Madara doubted that but kept his tongue, not wanting to start an argument. Instead, he smiled at his friend. He noticed, however, how most of the elders' mouths and eyes tightened as Hashirama spoke, a couple of the fucks going so far as to pale at the notion of socializing with Uchiha.

Hashirama, oblivious to his elders behind him, continued to gush. "Isn't it perfect?! I'm so happy with how it all turned out. I was a little worried about how to marry the flowers from the vines to the tables, but Touka had that covered. She has a wonderful eye, don't you think?"

"Yes," Madara agreed, locking eyes with the bastard that he'd run across all those years ago. "She knows exactly what's needed."

"I know! I was a little surprised, though. She's never been one to gussy up, so I wasn't sure. But it's so pretty, Madara! I could cry!"

"Don't you dare," Mito threatened as she appeared next to her husband, back to the elders. "You'll ruin your outfit and make your face puffy. Now that you're finally here, let's go sit down."

"I really am sorry about that, Mito. I was just so excited that I got distracted chatting with the elders. We were having such a wonderful time."

One elder glared at Hashirama's back so blatantly that the fire user suspected Hashirama's rendition of events wasn't all that accurate.

"Hm, well, lovely as that is, we all need to take our seats." Mito waved a careless hand towards the tables. "Name tags are on the tables. You aren't allowed to swap seats." With that, she pulled her husband towards the main table and shot Madara a look that ordered him to follow as well.

He shot the Senju elders a grin and a little finger wave as he tailed after the couple. "Have fun!"

Chapter Text

It turned out that there were more people than chairs in the leading group. So, with Rieko's permission, the dignitaries were split up amongst the tables. As the leaders of the talks, Reiko and Yoko would sit with the village founders. As his wife, Sada would accompany them. Nishimura and Suzuki were seated at the closest two tables, alongside clan heads and heirs. Other members of the party, such as Lin Liu, sat spread out to maintain a capital presence in each grouping. Surprisingly, Aoi and a Shimura clan ninja were among them, attending as guests instead of guards. Ostenibly, they were already earmarked for the Ishaan's security, so Reiko felt it appropriate to include them in the night's festivities.

"Aoi Hatake is doing a splendid job running the shinobi side of our protection detail," she explained over a small cup of sake towards the end of dinner. "Being selected for the guard is, pardon the pun, an honor. Depending on the final makeup of the Fire portion, she may be put in charge of the entire thing."

"With Ishaan's consent," Lady Sada clarified.

The older woman nodded. "With his approval, of course."

Izuna, sitting off to the side, leaned forward to join the conversation. He clacked his chopsticks together as he spoke, an absentminded gesture that Madara wanted to smack him for. "So, who's actually running that show?"

Kawakami, sitting on the opposite end and side of the table from Izuna, slid into the conversation. "It depends on what you mean. The honor guard needs to have a point person to run it. You can't have twenty-five people all running amok. However, at the end of the day, the guard answers to Ishaan. It will be mostly for show, though. I doubt Konoha allows threats anywhere near its borders. We've never had any doubt about the shinobi clans' capabilities. You are all some of the best in the world."

The praise was genuine and made the ninja at the table sit up straighter in pride.

"Besides, even if a threat breached the village, Ishaan isn't defenseless."

Reiko snorted at that, garnering an eye roll from the minister.

"He'd probably be protecting them," she quipped good-naturedly.

Outside the formal, stuffy talks, where a specific image was required to maintain control of the proceedings, Reiko Naruhito was surprisingly laid back. She was dressed as expected of a highborn woman, encased in delicate and expensive silk robes. However, she was confident enough in her position within the royal family and court to be largely indifferent to others' opinions when she didn't reflect directly on the Daimyo.

"Hiding behind his skirts?" Yoko posited, his sake cup in hand, making the royal openly laugh.

"So he is a shinobi then?" Touka asked them from the other side of Mito, hoping to get more information out of them about the man who would be joining the village.

Reiko nodded at her. "Yes, but you already knew that. There were reports of ninjas making inquiries in the Capital and other towns throughout Fire about the Ishaan."

Madara wanted to prod further and question her about the man's title and real name. Before he could, though, the Daimyo's aunt turned her attention to Mito, where she was sitting demurely beside her husband.

"I'm surprised you haven't told them what you know."

Mito shook her head. "Father has kept me purposefully in the dark. With my marriage to Hashirama, I'm a citizen of Fire first. He believes that it is best to keep a clear divide for everyone's sake. I know very little more than what's already been shared."

Reiko nodded at that. "Your father is a brilliant man, very shrewd. He's a bit of a pain, too."

Eyes widening slightly, Mito stared at the other woman in surprise. "Lady Reiko, Whirlpool has been nothing if not gracious to Fire."

The politician chuckled kindly. "Oh, he's courteous enough, no doubt about that. But he's a shark. If anyone outside the major daimyo were to win this game of theirs, it would be Toshizo."

Mito's mouth quirked into a small smile at that. "I believe he's already tried."

Reiko snorted again and toasted the Uzumaki princess. "Twice, by the stories."

"Hm, your sister and brother, yes?" Kawakami asked.

"Yes," the redhead affirmed with a great deal of delight. "I'm surprised Father stopped at just those two."

The regal woman smirked. "Ha! From what I heard of it from Ishaan, he fled when your granduncle started making noises about offering up your mother."

That startled a wholehearted guffaw from Mito, and she slapped her hand over her mouth in embarrassment. Hashirama lit up at the unusual liveliness of his wife and leaned forward to try to encourage the conversation.

"Ashina?" he tried to clarify. When he got a nod from both the royals, he grinned. "Ashina is great! The things he can do with a bit of paper and ink."

"I'm surprised Father never mentioned that in his letter. He had no issue complaining about the failed matches with my siblings."

Kawakami chuckled. "He wouldn't be embarrassed to mention those to anyone, Lady Mito. It's nothing new."

Izuna perked up. "You mean that Lord Uzumaki's tried that more than twice?"

"Oh, no. Don't misunderstand," the man corrected. "It was only twice with Whirlpool. Marriage attempts, in general, aren't new to Ishaan. The man has had dozens of people thrown at him. No one's stuck, however. He's gotten exceedingly adept at spotting a would-be suitor or opportunistic relative."

"Poor man," Lady Sada said playfully. "I once found him in a cupboard, hiding from Lady Manami and her group of friends. They had invited their daughters and nieces over to the palace on some pretense, just so they could introduce them. Somehow, they managed to invade the court wing without him noticing."

"Exhibit them, you mean," Reiko snarked. "Like prized mares. Those women have nothing better to do than meddle in their kinswomen's lives. Like they can't get men on their own?"

"He was hiding in a cupboard?" The incredulity in Hashirama's voice was staggering.

Kawakami grunted. "You'd be jamming yourself into a cupboard, too, if those women were after you."

Sada giggled at her husband's joke, a dainty hand lifting to cover her mouth. The sound was charming in its own way and almost reminded Madara of a maiko. Actually, with her hair done up in a shimada style and pretty but simple ornaments adorning it, she was reminiscent of one of those geisha they had been discussing today. She was beautiful and graceful enough to be mistaken for one. If her makeup were heavier, her face whitened, and her lips a bright red instead of the pale pink she wore...

Madara's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the woman thoughtfully. As if sensing his attention, her eyes met his. They peered at each other for several long seconds before something sparked in the woman's gaze. Mischievousness, so much like what he had seen earlier that afternoon, danced across her face. She subtly tapped her hand flat over her cup and then made a loose fist and knocked the table beside it. It shook a long-buried memory loose and sent his eyes flying wide in astonishment. Sada winked at him and turned back to the table's discussion, ever the silent and steadfast presence at her husband's side.

"But, surely someone would catch his fancy?!"

That was Hashirama, holding Mito's hand and sounding scandalized that someone wasn't interested in finding love like he had.

"Lord Hokage," Sada spoke up, "what about your wife made you decide to marry her?"

The man quieted at that, her question throwing him into deep contemplation. The table fell silent, all curious as to what his answer would be. Mito was beautiful. She was also a princess and wealthy. She brought influence and international stability to the Senju clan. There were quite a few things about her that a man and clan leader would judge worthwhile. Eventually, after a minute or two, Hashirama turned to Mito. He looked at her with open affection and a great deal of love. When he spoke, his words were filled with warmth and sureness that made Mito smile in return with just as much tenderness.

"Her strength," he answered easily.

"So you cherish Lady Mito as your equal?"

"Yes, Mito is my northern star."

The honesty in his words struck everyone. As much of a fool or difficult child he pretended to be, Hashirama was a powerful shinobi. For him to treasure Mito's prowess and spirit first, to want her as an equal before all else she brought to the marriage, it was a rare look into who he was at the core of things.

"So, with that in mind, Lord Hokage, please place yourself in Ishaan's position. He's a man of influence and power, inundated by politics and self-serving agendas. Would a random woman or man from a noble family be enough for you? Knowing that their primary motivation for a marriage would be elevating their own status in court?"

Eyes still locked on Mito, pain flared across Hashirama's face at that, and he immediately shook his head. "No, I'd rather hide in a cupboard."

That garnered laughs around the table, lightening the sudden seriousness from moments before. The mokuton user broke his staring contest with his wife and bowed slightly to the minister's spouse.

"You are very wise, Lady Kawakami."

Sada smiled demurely at him and glanced down at the table shyly. Her husband reached under the table to grasp her left hand and pulled it up to rest on the wooden surface. He bowed his head slightly to Hashirama in thanks for his praise.

Reiko elaborated. "Most of his disinclination has everything to do with simply being made to feel like a prized bull."

Madara snorted at the vulgar metaphor coming from such a high-class woman. Caught in the middle of swallowing a sip of wine, it shot up and out of his nose. His nasal passage began to burn immediately, and his eyes watered. Luckily, no one got sprayed, but the damage was done. Everyone at the table, and a few people nearby, all whipped their heads in his direction and stared as he tried to mop up the liquid from the table.

Horrified, he began apologizing, glancing towards the dignitaries as he did so, and accidentally knocking over the sake bottle sitting close by. That fell towards Izuna, and his little brother shrieked and jumped up to avoid the splash. However, his foot caught one of the chair's legs, and he lost his balance and toppled over. A Hyuuga server, unfortunately, happened to be standing close by and went down with Izuna in flailing limbs and a panicked squawk. Madara halted his scrambling and turned to look down at his sibling on the floor, chair overturned, and another shinobi splayed out on top of him. Absolutely mortified, Madara sat stock-still, wanting nothing more than to shrivel up and die.

"Why?" Izuna croaked, pushing at the Hyuuga's shoulder.

Too afraid to look elsewhere, it took a second for him to notice the laughter. It started as a soft, smothered sound but quickly loudened. When he forced himself to turn back to the table proper, he immediately spotted the source of the chuckling as the daimyo's aunt. Reiko was covering her mouth with one hand, staring at the space Izuna had just been in a minute before, and her other hand held her raised elbow. It seemed as if she was trying to hold herself together. The look on Madara's face must have been too much, though, because she couldn't keep the laughter at bay any longer. It exploded out of her, blowing her hand away from her mouth with it, and the bright, cheerful sound soon reverberated through the now completely silent hall.

Lady Sada soon joined in, the woman doing her absolute best to stifle the sound. She leaned against her husband, who shook himself slightly before beginning to chortle as well. The peals of laughter were contagious, and they soon rippled through the entire space, almost everyone joining in. Within a minute, the pavilion rang with the relaxed amusement of over a hundred people.

Madara's flush deepened slightly before he, too, joined in. He closed his eyes and let the moment replay, this time finding the humor in it instead of just the horror. The look on Izuna's face when he went down was the tipping point, and Madara shook his head and began to snigger. His brother finally pulled himself upright, and Madara opened his eyes to look up at his sibling. Immediately, the sniggers transformed into a loud, belly-wracking cackle.

Izuna's hair was mussed, looking like a half-deflated porcupine. His clothes were askew from where the Hyuuga had inadvertently pushed and tugged while trying to roll off him. On top of it all, his haori had somehow caught in the chair, and it yanked the jacket halfway off his shoulders as he stood, causing him to yelp.

It felt good to laugh.

Konoha hadn't had much unfettered joy in the past few years. The stress from the constant issues and the resulting complaints was annoying enough. But Touka's revelation at the bar almost two years ago ramped up old tensions and rotted away confidence in the village leadership. With the capital's involvement, everyone had become fearful and anxious about what would become of them if a solution couldn't be found. Shinobi and civilians alike had felt the executioner's axe at the back of their necks every day. For them to be able to laugh at a silly accident openly helped make the situation more real somehow.

Yes, Konoha was under threat by the Daimyo, but the man wasn't the villain in this story. He had a nation to care for, and the village's mistakes were jeopardizing Fire Country's entire well-being. If the village failed, the nation became susceptible to invasion or external pressure. The Daimyo couldn't allow that to happen. If he felt like he needed to wave a gloved fist around to make his point clear, Madara couldn't find fault in it. He'd done the same often enough.

So, while he was understandably angry, he saw enough value in them to try to salvage the situation. So much so that he was willing to expose one of his greatest assets on the international shogi board. Revealing someone of Ishaan's caliber to a bunch of paranoid shinobi was certainly a risk. However, the Daimyo seemed to think Konoha was worth it, and Madara was grateful for the compassion.

Right now, laughing together, Konoha was united. They had set aside the fear and stress, even if only temporarily, to find enjoyment in something purposefully. To them, it meant that there was still hope, and they just had to remember that. This week was about procuring a contract with someone who could help them. Next week would be about taking the first steps towards fixing everything. And the weeks after? That would be everyone coming together to start the hard work. Yes, they needed the Ishaan, but he doubted that anyone thought one man alone could rectify everything. It would take work, but now there was hope to see them through.

Eventually, the laughter died down, and people returned to their food. Looking for a way to maintain the affable atmosphere, Mito inquired if there was anything notable about the village that they found enjoyable. Reiko nodded, finishing her bite before answering.

"That peculiar little orchard not far from the tower." There was a gentle little smile on her lips.

"Ah! Hashirama grew each of those trees shortly after we moved here. He's been tending to them since."

Sada leaned around her husband to look at the Daimyo's aunt. "Is it that stand of mismatching trees? I saw them."

The older woman nodded, then complimented Hashirama. "They all appeared well-tended to."

Hashirama dipped his head in thanks for the praise. However, Madara, from his place next to him, could see the man's hand that had dropped beneath the table at some point, ball into a fist. His smile was also a shade too forced, though the Uchiha doubted anyone other than Mito would be able to notice.

"Oh, my husband puts a great deal of care into that orchard. It bears wonderful harvests all year round. I'm sure at least one of the trees is in season at any given time."

"You don't mind?" Sada asked Hashirama, who simply shook his head. "Well then, maybe we can visit tomorrow."

"Do! There's more than enough to go around. Hashirama tends to the orchard diligently, but he doesn't eat from it, you see."

"Why is that?" Kawakami probed.

The Hokage's smile stretched taut. "Oh, no reason, really. I just grew it for someone other than myself to enjoy. The village enjoys the various fruits well enough, and that's enough for me."

The minister nodded. "Very good of you. A leader shows he cares in different ways. Providing for others is a good way to demonstrate that."

They were on the second-to-last course. Dessert was next, but before it was served, Reiko sighed wearily and rose. Yoko moved to stand with her, but the woman waved him away.

"It's fine, Lord Yoko. I'm simply tired. I think I'll head back and rest a bit before retiring for the night."

"I should accompany you, Lady Reiko," the minister argued.

She shook her head and smiled. "No, you're the other leader of our group. You need to stay. Please, don't fuss."

"Someone of rank should walk you back, though," he pressed. "This is a formal event."

Seeing an opportunity that he hadn't been able to act on as of yet, Hashirama perked up and stood. He bowed respectfully to both politicians before settling his attention on Reiko. "Lady, I'd be honored to escort you."

"I'm grateful for your offer, Lord Hokage, but you are the leader here. Shouldn't you remain?"

Hashirama shook his head. "We're close to the end, and no agreements are being made tonight. Madara, as co-founder, is eminently suitable. Just as Lord Yoko is."

No one at the table dared to argue. They could all tell that he was speaking in the official capacity of Hokage, and it wouldn't reflect well if a ninja under his purview questioned him. Besides, he was right. Madara was acknowledged as another source of authority. He'd taken point on the delegation planning and was managing the little work that was being done in preparation for the Ishaan's arrival.

Reiko thought it over before nodding. "Alright. I'd be pleased to have you accompany me back to the house."

With that, Hashirama smiled brightly before rounding the table to offer his arm to the woman. She slipped her thin hand through the crook presented and rested her palm on his bicep. On cue, a couple of ninja from the protection detail bled out from the shadows and waited patiently for the couple to exit the pavilion before moving to walk behind them. Further on, mundane guards straightened and took up the front positions of the procession, leading them all off into the night.

After they left, the dessert arrived, and they moved on to other topics. It eventually came back around to the next day, and Kawakami inquired about the three potential parcels of land. Not knowing what Haruko would offer, all Madara could do was describe the two areas in the Uchiha compound. Wary of discouraging interest, he was careful to keep it broad. The minister seemed happy enough and willing to pass judgment after he'd seen the plots.

Dinner began to wind down, and attendees shuffled off back to their homes. Many who passed by their table dipped their heads in respect, both to Kawakami and Madara. That was a little surprising to the Uchiha leader since, like most children, the general public still tended to be wary of him to one degree or another. For them to suddenly start showing him blatantly positive regard outside of acknowledging his prowess, he wondered what games the clan leaders were playing behind his back.

Chobe walked the delegation back to mirror the Hyuuga fetching them. Madara and Izuna both waited alongside Mito and Touka until most of the pavilion was empty before spotting the Uchiha contingent conferring with themselves. Finally, after a few minutes, Makodo broke off to approach her clan head and heir. In her wake, Hikaku nodded at his cousins and then waved the remaining elders off towards the compound.

Makodo reached the four of them and stopped beside Mito. She spared a low dip of her head for her elder nephew and then turned her attention to Touka. Before she even opened her mouth, they all knew it wouldn't be anything favorable.

"They were on their best behavior, Senju-san."

Touka was motionless for a moment after the words registered and then snarled. Her face morphed into a hideously ugly rage for a single instant before she regained control and locked the fury up behind unbreachable walls. The three Uchihas all stiffened, but Mito didn't seem bothered. Instead, she seemed almost as angry as her cousin-in-law.

"Nothing?" the princess asked Makodo. "Truly? Absolutely nothing?"

The old woman shook her head. "I'm sorry, Princess. They kept to themselves, and they kept quiet. The only times they spoke up were when they were directly addressed, and even then, they were sparing with their words."

Touka growled and reached up to press the heels of her hands into her eyebrows. She closed her eyes as she bent her head to increase the pressure and let out a frustrated sigh. "I was so sure they wouldn't be able to resist."

"The one at Hikaku's table almost didn't," Makodo admitted. "But he glanced at the head table and then seemed to catch himself. He remained steadfastly mum the rest of dinner."

"Great!" she complained, lowering her arms and dropping her head back to stare at the ceiling. "Just wonderful. The fuckers are doing this to spite me."

Mito laid a hand on Touka's shoulder. "They can't hold out forever, dear. Either they let their guard down and overstep, or they die of old age. Either way, you'll win."

The Senju kunoichi turned a frustrated glare onto her kinswoman. "I want them gone now! I wanted them gone the day Tobi left! It's been years, Mito. Years, and they're still here. Why can't they just fuck up already!?"

Izuna caught Madara's gaze but remained quiet when he spotted the anger lurking there. Their aunt, too, kept silent and watched the women interact. The knowing glint he spotted in the old woman reminded Madara sharply of Makodo's specialization in honeypots when she'd been a young kunoichi. So effective at it was she that Tajama's grandfather and then father had kept her off the field entirely to avoid losing her.

"We'll find a way, Touka. There must be something we can do."

The Senju leader rolled her shoulder to knock the hand off it. While not unkind, it was still sharp and abrupt. "My hands will be tied once this Ishaan person arrives. You know as well as I do that it's too risky to punish them while he's here."

"Maybe his being here will be what we need? They could get cocky and let their guard down."

"Maybe," the other female said before she sighed heavily, forcing herself to let go of the anger and frustration. "Maybe not, though. I'll have to wait and see."

Makodo nodded, participating for the first time since Touka had lost her temper. She glanced at Madara before speaking. "Very wise, Lady. And, with Lord Madara's permission, perhaps some of the Uchiha elders can assist with your admirable goal?"

He weighed the risk and reward mentally before giving a short nod to his aunt. "Only if there is absolutely no risk to the Uchiha clan or village. I will not have this get out of control. We cannot jeopardize our standing with the Daimyo or Ishaan. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Madara-sama," Makodo acknowledged solemnly. She nodded to Touka and Mito before bowing out of the conversation, turning to head home alone.

"And you two," he frowned at the women. "You two need to start including other people in your plotting."

Mito's eyes narrowed slightly, her focus on him sharpening in contemplation.

Madara cut off any of her attempts at misdirecting before she could even voice them. "What you tried to do here tonight was extremely foolhardy and dangerous. What if it had succeeded? Hmm? If your elders started altercations all across the hall with a dozen capital officials to witness it?"

He blew out a breath and forced himself to calm down some. "Touka, do you not know how delicate your clan's standing is right now?"

Touka's building glare faltered at that, and Mito paled beside her, seeming to understand where Madara was heading.

"What are you talking about?" the clan head asked him.

When he shot Mito a piercing look, she shook her head and spoke up. "I didn't have the time to explain. And I thought it best not to speak out of turn behind his back."

Madara nodded at that and took the bull by the horns. "Touka, Hashirama admitted to the Daimyo's people that he wasn't managing the clan when he was your leader. That's why the Daimyo sent who he did."

To her credit, it only took a second or two for her to comprehend the implications. The remaining anger practically fled her when she did, and she swallowed roughly. Touka stared at him, shakenly. Madara hoped that she understood the possible repercussions if she had succeeded tonight.

"I didn't know," she said. "I swear I didn't know, Madara."

"I know," he assuaged. "And if I thought it was too dangerous, I would have stopped you, regardless of how risky it would have been. But you need to be more careful, Touka."

She nodded, taking his warning and advice seriously. Her cousin-in-law, also shaken from her miscalculation, grasped her elbow.

"Let's head home, Touka. I suddenly want some alcohol before bed."

They both departed the pavilion, leaning on each other for comfort. The Uchiha brothers watched them go silently and waited until their forms had disappeared into the dark before moving. Izuna turned to him, his eyes dark and angry.

"What the hell was that?" he bit out, at the end of his patience for the night.

"Not now," the elder brother said as he began the long walk back to the compound.

Izuna followed after him, glaring at being denied answers once again. "Yes, now! Madara, what the fuck is going on?! You've suddenly been buddy-buddy with Touka for the past week, and now you're putting our clan at risk to help her with this stupid plan. And what was that about the asshole? And before dinner with the elders?!"

Madara whipped around and used his height to tower over his sibling. Black eyes whirled to life, bleeding into a bright red that glowed sickly in the dark. Irritation licked at the back of his throat, like whenever he wanted to spew fire instead of words, but he bit it back. Instead, he growled at Izuna, low and deep.

"Not. Now."

Izuna pulled back and immediately nodded, not used to his older brother losing his temper with him like that. The last time it had happened was after Tobirama had injured him to force a ceasefire. Izuna had been unyielding in his hatred of the Senjus and refused to humor the notion of a truce agreement. After weeks of arguing and fighting about it, he'd finally gone too far.

Furious, Izuna suggested, in the middle of the old compound, that Madara was too weak to lead. Izuna had waved his hands at the dozens of people watching and accused Madara of wanting the Uchiha to lie down and slit their throats. He'd glared at his clan leader and openly accused him of being a traitor for even considering the offer as anything but an opportunity to win the war.

"If their guards are down, we can ambush them. Fuck, I distract Senju and the freak, and you can level their compound!"

Disgusted, Madara had lost control of his temper and backhanded Izuna, knocking him to the ground. After Izuna shook the dizziness away, he narrowed his eyes in rage and threw himself at his clan head. Instead of knocking him over, though, the younger man barreled into a solid wall of muscle and infuriated displeasure. What proceeded could barely be excused as a painful reprimand of a clan leader to their heir.

At the end of it all, when Izuna was crumpled in a bruised and bloody heap, Madara had turned his attention to the clan. His Sharingan were spinning wildly, and his hair was shifting of its own accord. Everything within twenty feet of him was incinerated. Grass, troughs, fences, signposts... anything that could burn did. He and Izuna were in the middle of a charred circle. Flaking ash drifted around them and slowly settled on top of the blackened earth and Izuna's groaning body. He stared down every single member of his family that was brave enough to look back.

"If anyone else has so much dishonor to suggest betraying a request for parlay, speak up. If you believe, as my heir does, that it's excusable to break faith and butcher innocent civilians, tell me. Tell me which of you agrees with slaughtering an entire clan while we smile to their leader's face and fill his cup with tea."

He turned in a tight circle as he continued his arctic remonstration. "When there's so much blood on your hands that you think it's unnatural to see skin? You have been at war for too long. The Uchiha and Senju have been killing each other for centuries. Every loved one we've burned on the pyre is another they've buried. We cut down a father, they take a son. They kill an aunt, we kill a cousin. This is the first chance of ending that in as long as we can remember."

Madara swiped his left hand through the air.

"We've thousands of dead between us. Thousands!" he cried. "And if we don't stop, if we refuse to take this opportunity, there will be thousands upon thousands more. Centuries more of our family dead at their hands because our pride refused to allow us to bend.

"You think I'm weak!? You think I'd choose a foolish childhood friendship over my family? Everything I do, I do for you! I do to keep you alive as long as I can. I fight and kill and bleed so you can live long enough to have children of your own. Children who will die on the battlefields, just like their parents."

Izuna whined from the pain and rolled over onto his back. His right eye was swollen shut, and the left was close to the same, but he could still see well enough to look up at him in astonishment.

"My father died on the battlefield instead of in his bed. As did his father and his father. I want to die in bed!" he roared, making many of the gathered men and women jump at the volume and cower back slightly. "I want to live until I'm blind from old age and not because I've burned out my eyes. I want to have children and know that they'll die in bed as well. I want our children to leave the compound to play, not to run missions that may kill them."

He turned to glare down at Izuna, anger and disappointment still burning away in him. "Why am I weak for wanting peace? Why am I weak for not wanting to massacre people that I've never even met? Children who have likely never even been to the nearest fucking village?

"They've killed thousands of us. But guess what, Izuna? We've killed them right back! You don't get to pretend that your hands are less bloody than theirs or that they're more deserving of death."

"The Ghost-" Izuna began to croak, but Madara cut him off savagely.

"The Senju Ghost spared you! Tobirama could have killed you. He should have killed you. If the roles were reversed and Father were still alive, what do you think he would have done to you for letting him live?"

That reminder of how different a leader Tajama and his elder son were made the clan shift uneasily. Madara had been head for two years, and while he was more intimidating than his father, he was undoubtedly more lenient. Tajama, with his unforgiving hatred of the Senjus, would have whipped Izuna for his mercy. And that was the best-case scenario.

"You showed me the memory, Izuna. Tobirama had every opportunity to kill you. But, instead, he wounded you badly enough to require an end to the battle."

The Uchiha's leader looked back up at his people. "For those of you who don't know, the Ghost was the one to suggest the ceasefire. Not in words, no. But he was the one who stopped me from fleeing with Izuna so his brother could heal mine. Our greatest enemy showed us a level of compassion that none of us thought him capable of, that none of us thought any Senju capable of.

"I'm not weak for wanting us to survive." He slashed his hand through the air at them angrily. "And if you think that I'd bend the knee to them just so that can happen, you've never known me."

In the end, his uncharacteristic outburst shocked the clan into compliance. Izuna, while still upset about Madara's intentions to agree to the ceasefire, was finally ready to shut up and listen to Madara's reasoning. He'd been open, if only grudgingly, to understanding why his brother and clan head was doing what he was. He wasn't happy about it, but he was willing to give peace a chance.

Likely with that memory fresh in mind, like it was with Madara, Izuna quickly backed down and followed his older sibling back to the Uchiha compound and the main house. He trailed behind meekly until they reached the kitchen. When they both entered the room, he sat at the table while Madara continued to the counter, where he pulled out the necessary implements to make tea. The younger male remained quiet as the elder puttered around for a bit. Then, when the kettle was boiling and the tea leaves were seeping, Madara answered Izuna's questions.

Chapter Text

The next morning, a subdued and thoughtful Izuna headed off to the dignitaries' house to escort the group to the Hyuuga land. He left out the front door with a quick, distracted glance at his older brother. Uchiha called out to their heir, but he paid them very little mind as he wandered down the street.

Madara watched him go with trepidation. They had spoken late into the early morning about everything Madara had learned over the past weeks. Initially, his sibling had been furious that Madara had kept it all to himself, but grudgingly accepted Madara's reasoning that it hadn't been any of Izuna's business. What he'd been made privy to that night, Madara had only learned by chance or in confidence. It wasn't the Uchiha leader's place to spread it about just because. 

Still, beyond the upset at not being informed, Izuna was also peeved that he hadn't realized on his own. After all, the evidence was there, now that they both looked back on it. But, hindsight being what it was, he was forced to let that go and focus on the implications. To ensure they were as best placed to handle any potential situations with the Senju clan or Hashirama, Izuna spent over an hour grilling Madara for as many details of meetings and interactions as the elder Uchiha could recall. He'd then shared his own, and the two brothers compared notes before heading to bed.

Nothing had been decided on, both knowing that they were missing a lot of facts and history. However, each agreed to give it until after the representatives left before they discussed options. Izuna felt it necessary to inform the clan heads, but Madara thought that was a grievous breach of privacy and going too far. His younger brother admitted, after being pressed, that his instinctive decision stemmed from his mistrust and dislike of Hashirama. Madara managed to reason with him, explaining why it wouldn't be a good idea to bring the clans into this without them knowing more about what was truly going on with the Senju and their former leaders, both Hashirama and Butsuma.

So, for now, Izuna was left to stew about the mistreatment of potentially an entire clan, including the man he disliked most in the village, and Madara had to go about his day pretending he wasn't just as upset.

Madara departed shortly after Izuna, swinging by Hikaku's house to pick his cousin up. Together, the two men made their way to the Hyuuga compound, walking in easy silence. When the gate to the Byakugan user's territory came into sight, Hikaku slowed.

"Is there a plan, Madara?" his cousin inquired.

Madara slowed his own pace and kept his eyes forward. He weighed his words and spoke lowly enough that only Hikaku would be able to hear without straining.

"We want them to choose one of the Uchiha parcels for the estate. Hyuuga could work, but we'd be better positioned."

"So we're meant to spy on this man?"

It wasn't judgmental; he was trying to understand the mission so he could help carry it out to the best of his ability.

Madara nodded. "Though it's doubtful we'll get much if he puts up his own wards. However, we'll be able to track who comes and goes. And with the distance between us and the tower, it would be more difficult to move around unnoticed."

The younger Uchiha contemplated that. "So, security, not espionage?"

He nodded again. "Yes, Reiko and Kawakami made it clear that the Daimyo is hoping we can integrate Ishaan into the village in some way. We don't want to alienate him on the first day."

"So place him within an area of the village where it would be naturally more difficult to hide major movements, but not so closely monitored that he takes insult and complains."

"Exactly," Madara agreed, silently praising his Third with a smile and nod. "We need to be very careful about this. If this man is the real deal, Konoha would be best placed in fostering lasting relations with him."

"And so would the Uchiha."

"Yes. If he's benign or inclined to favor the village, the clan should make it a priority to befriend him. We have few enough of them as it is."

Hikaku shot him a sharp look at that but kept quiet, long familiar with Madara's opinion on how well the Uchiha were integrating with the village. While they weren't being shunned by the other clans or avoiding interacting with others themselves, there was still some subtle divide between Uchiha and non-Uchiha. The clan leadership interacted well enough with one another. However, lower-level Uchiha would sometimes grouse about feeling left out of gatherings or how difficult it sometimes was to form friendships. The other members of the Uchiha hierarchy, including Izuna, believed that it was still a lingering concern from before the village and that it would eventually disappear altogether. They just had to give it time. 

Madara wasn't so sure about that but decided early on to keep his concerns to himself and merely observe for the time being.

"We're framing the Hyuuga property as a valid option, but I selected the Uchiha tracts specifically for the layout and scenery. One of them should be attractive enough."

They reached the gate and nodded to the branch member waiting for them. The woman bowed to them both before turning and making her way into the compound. As the three headed toward the sectioned-off area set aside for the Isshan's potential use, a shout came from their left. As they turned, a little boy came careening off a side path. Previously hidden by hedges, the child laughed joyfully as he toddled as quickly as he could away from his already frazzled minder.

"Little Lord, please! Little Lord, come back!" 

The babysitter was another branch member, denoted by the strange, white strip of cloth they always wore over their foreheads for some reason. He appeared to be in his late teens, gangly with youth still, and dressed in the white robes the entire clan donned outside missions. His white eyes were wild, and his face pinched. He'd been chasing the kid around for a while, by the looks of him. 

The boy giggled innocently at his minder's frustration and waddled by the two Uchiha. However, instead of letting the kid pass by, Madara leaned down to scoop him up in his arms. The sudden movement startled the toddler, and he blinked in confusion. When the new elevation in height registered, the little Hyuuga laughed loudly in glee.

The teen halted in front of Madara and bowed to the clan leader. "Thank you, Lord Uchiha. I've been chasing him around for fifteen minutes!"

"No problem. I've known my fair share of little trouble-makers."

At the sound of his voice, the boy turned his attention to the man holding him. When white eyes met his, the giggling slowed to a stop. Then, as Madara had pessimistically expected, the child began to whimper in fear, and tears formed. Madara sighed and handed the child over to his minder before the crying could commence in earnest. The teen was mortified at the boy's behavior and started to apologize, but the fire user waved it away.

"It's fine, Hyuuga-san." He smiled self-depreciatingly. "I'm used to it."

The teen bowed again in thanks before hurrying off with his charge. Madara smiled at their guide and motioned for them to continue. As they traversed the buildings and walkways, he turned his attention to the kunoichi escorting them.

"I don't think I've seen you before, Hyuuga-san."

The woman's back stiffened imperceptibly at being directly addressed, but she relaxed immediately afterward. "Not up close, Lord Uchiha."

He hummed thoughtfully. "Who was the boy?"

"Lady Kaya's son, Momiji."

"Hm, cute kid. I didn't know she had a child. How old is he?"

Again, her back stiffened. This time, it was more noticeable. When she spoke, the woman's tone was carefully modulated. "Two, Uchiha-sama. His birthday is in September."

She sped up slightly, a clear indication of her wish to stop speaking. He glanced at his cousin, and the two men shared a commiserating glance before looking away. The three traveled the rest of the way in silence and soon found their way to a large, barren patch of land.

It was the smallest of the three options. While still meeting the basic requirements identified the day before, it didn't provide much breathing space. The square lot was just over an acre and a half and boxed in on three sides by Hyuuga buildings. The free side ran up against the outermost wall, which is why it was an option in the first place. The fortification could be broken open to create a gate for the new residence. However, to access that portion of the wall, and therefore the Isshan's home, you needed to travel through Akimichi property. The two Uchiha eyed the space critically as they approached the group milling about by the main walkway. 

Most of the clan heads were already there. Only Haruko and Hashirama were missing. Haruko was probably waiting to meet the delegates and Izuna somewhere along the path to lead them the rest of the way. Madara didn't know where Hashirama was, though, which was surprising since Mito was there this morning. 

Her garnet hair was styled in its usual buns, and her clothing was practical yet fine in quality, showcasing her royal status. Her dark eyes flicked up to look at Madara and Hikaku as they neared and then behind him. She seemed to be searching for something because her expression tightened before she looked back at the Uchiha leader.

"Madara," she greeted when he came to a stop beside her. 

"Mito," he acknowledged with a dip of his head. "Where's Hashirama?"

The strained expression worsened briefly before the woman wiped it away. "I don't know. He left the house before I did."

Madara felt his eyebrows rise of their own accord at that. "That's a shock. You normally have to kick the louse out of bed, don't you?"

She nodded, glancing around at the milling shinobi before dropping her voice to a whisper. "He came home late as well. Long after I had gone to bed."

He frowned at that. "He was with Reiko that long?"

"I don't know," she said. "I woke up enough to notice he was home but went right back to sleep."

"Hn."

They waited for a few more minutes before Hashirama appeared. He bounded over the far wall they had all entered and across rooftops, causing annoyed screeches from Hyuuga clan members as he hurried along. Mito sighed at the disheveled clothes her husband wore and simply waited until he landed in front of her to begin righting the mess fondly.

"Where have you been, Loghead?" Madara growled. "I was the last to arrive, and I've been waiting ten minutes!"

Hashirama gave him a blinding smile, white teeth glinting in the morning sun. "Around!"

"You-!" he began, but his curse was cut off by Mito's small elbow buried harshly in his ribs.

"No picking fights right before the meeting." The Whirlpool princess already sounded tired of their antics.

"Aww," her husband complained good-naturedly. His smile quickly returned.

"You were home late," she noted.

Hashirama stalled for a second before he shook his head at her, though his smile remained bright and cheerfully fixed. "I had so much fun last night, I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to wake you, so I took a walk around the forest outside the village."

Which he'd done often enough in the past whenever he had so much energy that he was incapable of standing still long enough to be even the slightest bit productive. 

Madara sighed at the excited mania he spotted still lurking under his friend's skin hours after it should have been worn out. "Just tone it down when they get here, Hashirama. I doubt Reiko wants to deal with you first thing in the morning."

Again, the man seemed to hesitate before he responded. The bigger man went preternaturally still for a flash of a beat, and then bounced back. Madara could see a momentary strain in his friend. He was probably trying to rein in his horrifying exuberance, knowing how Madara hated to be emoted at. "Reiko likes kabusecha tea!"

The non-sequitur threw him off, but Madara rallied and went with it if it kept Hashirama from vibrating out of his skin.

He grunted. "You two drink that last night?"

The Senju nodded, still smiling.

"What did you talk about?" Mito asked him.

"Oh, this and that," Hashirama explained helpfully. He must have seen the irritation his lack of an actual answer caused because he laughed loudly and clarified some. "Mostly about gardening."

"That's good," his wife voiced. "You can talk about that all day."

"What else did you two discuss? Anything we need to know?"

Hashirama thought about it. Madara could see him turning the conversation over in his mind, but before he could speak, the dignitaries arrived. Haruko led the procession, with Kawakami and Sada in the lead. Behind them was Reiko, a grin on her face. Madara knew why that was immediately as he spotted her arm looping through his younger brother's, restrained panic lurking in Izuna's expression. Obviously, he'd been left alone with her at some point. He heard Takeo snort and felt like laughing himself. 

Hashirama shook off his jubilation and gave the approaching group a shallow bow. "Good morning!"

Kawakami nodded to the Hokage and then the rest of the gathered shinobi. "Good morning. Let us proceed, yes? Lord Hyuuga, would you please describe your offered land?"

Haruko stepped forward and gave a general overview of the land and access points. Then, the entire group began to walk around the field. Nishimura and Hashirama took point on that, discussing soil quality and square footage. After they made a lap of the outskirts of the property, Nishimura walked the lot by himself, seeming to measure it roughly. When he was done, he returned to the group.

"Well," Kawakami asked. "Your thoughts?"

The Land and Infrastructure Minister hummed. "It's workable, but it would be tight."

He pointed to the perimeter. "We'd lose a dozen feet or so on the three internal sides to account for pathways and clearance, and then another three for the walls themselves. That compacts the building placements."

Nishimura then turned to the outside wall. "And with the fourth wall being part of the Hyuuga fortification, that could limit what wards could be placed."

Kawakami turned to Mito. "Princess, can you speak to that?"

Mito frowned as she thought about that and then nodded. "It would impact things. If the wall continues unbroken around the Hyuuga property, but only a small portion of it is warded, it would be severely weakened."

"Then, perhaps we could just ward the entire thing," Haruko suggested.

That made Mito shake her head immediately. "No, Lord Hyuuga. The warding used would likely be tied directly to Ishaan. He wouldn't be part of the Hyuuga clan, so warding all of the Hyuuga walls would nullify the seal work. It really does need to be its own structure."

The lead minister nodded in agreement with her assessment. "It sounds like the space could work, but there would be potential security issues."

"Let's move on to the other options," Reiko ordered, speaking up for the first time that morning.

The group walked the streets from one side of the village to the other, where the Uchiha compound resided. Reiko had waved off using a carriage, preferring to walk, so everyone followed behind as Madara led the way. They reached the border of their territory, a well-worn path that their patrols walked, and crossed under the tori gate and into their home.

"Both plots are within our borders, but wouldn't have the same security issue as the Hyuuga land would. The second parcel does butt up against the cliff, but I believe it would be large enough to take that into consideration."

Madara continued the explanation once they reached the first of the two options, farther from the entrance and the village. 

"This is the smaller of the two, at roughly two acres. It's less populated here, with fewer buildings and people on the sides. There will be more buildings going up in the next few years, however. The extra space here could be a buffer for that."

"It is larger," Nishimura agreed, looking around the area. "But it's awfully rocky."

They walked the area. Hashirama assisted in checking the soil quality, and Hikaku chimed in on basic information as well. In the end, Nishimura stopped short of the land's center-most point and reached down to gather some dirt. He let it trickle out of his palm and studied it as it fell. He brushed the remaining dirt from his hands and studied the space again.

"Better," he judged. "Better, but still with its own problems. The soil quality is poor in most of the area, which will make landscaping and gardens difficult to grow and maintain. Also-"

He turned his attention to Kawakami. "I'm worried about its location. It's at the very back of the compound. That wouldn't be an issue with the Hyuugas because their compound is predominantly inside the village proper. And while the front portion of the Uchiha space is as well, it's elongated. That places this section a considerable distance away. That also means the Ishaan would need to traverse the entire Uchiha compound each time he travels to or fro. That would also potentially be an issue for the Uchiha clan as well, since that means they'd have strangers visiting with some frequency."

The Foreign Affairs Minister nodded his understanding and addressed Madara. "May we see the second option?"

"Of course," the Uchiha leader agreed.

He led them back the way they had come, toward the front of the compound, where it was more densely populated. When they reached the central square, he led them right instead of continuing forward to the main gate. The side street they were on was nearly as wide as the main road and was lined with several houses. At the end of the road, still within the Uchiha walls, lay their destination.

The actual location Madara wanted the Ishaan to settle in was a large chunk of rocky land. His clan hadn't put much of it to use outside a makeshift training field since they didn't yet need the space to expand. The rocks were large and buried deep, and the effort to clear them wasn't worth it right then for the clan. But it would work for Ishaan's estate.

It was oblong, the width one and a half times the depth. The entire back flank of the plot butted up against the cliff wall, giving it a natural buffer from people. The left side of the space ran alongside the Uchiha wall. The right side and front flank had houses situated close by. What really made this space the ideal location, though, was its distance to the main Uchiha house. The entire plot was within Madara's active sensing range. If he were home, he'd be able to reach out and randomly monitor the chakra inside the estate. At least, as long as there weren't wards to block him from doing so.

"I'm afraid this won't work, Lord Uchiha," Kawakami refused after taking a long look at the space.

Madara shook his head. "It would, Lord Kawakami. It looks rough, I know, but it's mostly cosmetic. We've already put in the work to examine its feasibility."

"The rocks..."

"The rocks can be shifted," Shikamoto chimed in and moved to stand close to Madara. "What may be impossible work for civilians is less of a challenge for shinobi. We have earth specialists here in the village who can make this achievable. Would it be easy? No. But it's workable."

Madara motioned to the land. "If you ignore the rocks, the land itself is far more suitable than the other two options. There are nearly three acres here. If you use some of that to build in buffers between the front and right housing, there's still plenty of land for walls. Also, with this much area, you can build multiple entrances."

"The main gate could be here on this side." He waved in front of him. "If we continue this road to the right, where these houses end, it works out better for the clan as well. Another road would help with future structural layout. That new road would be another main way into the compound, leading past Ishaan's estate. That would make it visually more appealing to official guests."

The fire user started to walk off to the right and pointed at a far-off spot. "There could be a narrower road built off the main one for another entrance, one meant for unofficial guests and business. More houses could be built later on the other side of that road as the clan grows."

Madara stopped walking after about twenty feet and turned his back to the lot. He studied the buildings that had already been constructed and then pointed to the largest home, which seemed to be situated in the middle of the housing block. Everyone turned to examine what he was indicating.

"It's also ideal because it's close to the Uchiha Great House. Once this contract is over, if Ishaan makes this a common home, he will have the protection of the main line. If something were to happen, my brother and I would be mere seconds away. And with this section of the compound already developed into housing, he wouldn't be isolated like he would with the other location."

"Hmm..." Nishimura stared thoughtfully at the main house for a full minute before he rotated in a circle. 

He studied the established homes, the main wall off in the distance, and then the cliff. When he was through with that, the man moved away from the perimeter to work his way through the rocks and into the tract proper. Madara and Hashirama both went with him, helping him navigate over boulders and around jagged edges. Hashirama, again, helped check the soil quality as they went. Eventually, they reached the cliff and then cut left, making their way around to the wall. From there, it was easy to walk alongside that to reach the front edge of the property. The minister halted when he reached the junction of the wall and front boundary and stared towards where the rest of the group remained. After another minute of contemplation, he started walking again.

"Well?" Suzuki asked, impatient.

Nishimura nodded at him. "This will work. This will work very well, actually."

Kawakami sighed in relief and smiled at his colleague. "Your thoughts?"

The Infrastructure Minister turned to the side road they had come down. "There's more than enough space to widen that lane into a proper street. Rework it to match the compound's main avenue, and then stretch it to the right. That would divide the current Uchiha property and Ishaan's."

He nodded at Madara. "Lord Uchiha's suggestion of a side road is a very good one. Again, that would act as a border marker for the Uchiha and Ishaan acreages. The land for the roads could certainly come from the parcel. There's more than enough here for all the necessary structures and then some."

"And the wall?" Reiko asked, tipping her head towards the wall in the distance. "Isn't that the same issue as with the Hyuuga?"

"No." Nishimura shook his head. "This tract is large enough that the entire property can have independent fortifications, even on the cliffside. Add to that its location just outside the main village, and it's very appealing."

Lady Sada joined the conversation at last. Her gaze was thoughtful. "What about the Uchiha who live alongside the road to the Ishaan's main gate? Wouldn't they be disturbed by visitors? That is the only real issue I see."

Izuna nodded in agreement. "Normally, yes, Lady. However, there is no other clan bumping up against the other side of the wall. I'm wondering if we can do the same on that side as on this one and extend the street. If another main street were to run on that side of the Uchiha wall, we could build more nonresidential buildings for the village. If so, then we could shift the main gate from down there to down here."

"But that's reserved for another clan when they join, so they have a dedicated space already," Shimiji countered.

Madara's brother nodded at the Inuzuka. "Yes, but what if we shift the district we were planning in the northern section down here, and that other section is then the earmarked territory?"

"That could work." Inojiro decided.

Touka stepped forward and stared at the space where the imaginary road hit the wall. She pointed to the spot where the two would converge. "And if that was the new gate, you could build a guard post or something on this side of it to fill the buffer space between your wall and the Ishaan's. It would be another security measure for the man since that area wouldn't be usable otherwise."

Madara studied the area around him, envisioning the suggested changes. While he'd initially thrown it out to secure an observable location for a potential threat, he couldn't help but feel a little excited about the picture forming in his mind. 

Where there would have been random buildings and empty space before, he saw a wide, paved street now. Entering through the new gate, a long, tall wall on the left with Ishaan's home just behind it would lead you into the heart of the residential area of the compound. The right side would be Uchiha houses. Maybe they could have street vendors selling Uchiha products if the road were wide enough. That would help pull in villagers and further lessen the divide between his clan and all others.

Moving the main gate would create a different traffic flow. It would make sense to adjust their plans. If they relocate the training field and non-essential areas to the other empty lot, that would consolidate the populated districts in this corner of the compound, freeing up even more space for future growth.

"Are there risks from above?" Reiko asked, looking at the clifftop hundreds of feet up.

"No," Hashirama jumped forward, eager to participate. He reassured her with a too-bright smile and uplifted hands. "We run constant patrols around the cliff top, and the trees up there are ones I've grown personally. I can tell when someone is in the forest who shouldn't be. And with property this close to the wall, we also carefully monitor for collapses."

The woman nodded at that, not looking at the Hokage. Hashirama's expression dimmed at the inattention. Her gaze was still staring up. Finally, she brought her attention downwards and studied the land in front of her. After several long minutes of silence, everyone awaiting her decision, she nodded.

"Yes. Yes, this will do. Ishaan's home will be built here."

Chapter Text

After settling on a location for the estate, they broke for lunch. Madara surprised everyone by proposing a picnic, indicating that his clan had prepared food for anyone who'd like to join them. Reiko perked up, which meant the other members of her party would attend as well. Touka suggested inviting Aoi Hatake and Hayate Shimura, as they were likely to be on the honor guard. The Daimyo's aunt nodded in agreement, and one of the three non-village ninja left to grab them.

The group headed back to the Uchiha's main square. When they neared, they all heard the well-ordered chaos of many voices. Clearing the houses that blocked their sight, everyone saw a couple of dozen Uchiha swarming over the place. Many were sweeping the ground, clearing it of loose rocks and debris. In spots that were already cleaned, members were laying down blankets and quilts for the attendees to sit on. The remaining Uchiha were unpacking food and beverages from baskets and boxes onto tables that had been hauled out of nearby homes.

"A little presumptuous, don't you think?" Reiko murmured to him under her breath.

He shot the royal a pleasant smile. "Of course not, Lady. If you rejected the offer, then my clan would still be picnicking together. Your presence is merely an honor on top of it all."

She shrewdly studied him for a moment before nodding at his maneuvering and slipped her arm through his. "Well, Lord Madara, as host, where shall we sit?"

He guided her to an area off to the side that was slightly isolated and had a clear view of the square. Nami had done as asked and slipped a thin futon between two quilts, providing additional protection from the hard ground. Reiko smiled when she noticed and glanced at him slyly.

"For myself, of course," he simpered.

"Of course," she replied, amusedly.

The two sat there, and the rest of the Capitol's group were split up among the other blankets that were quickly being laid down. Kawakami and Sada sat close by, still outside overhearing range, with Nishimura and Suzuki sharing a little way away. The clan heads and heirs intermingled, swapping places or even combining quilts to make larger lounging spots. Hashirama sat with Mito, growing a temporary tree to shade his wife from the bright sun. Madara hoped Hashirama removed that thing before they left. Otherwise, he would be ripping it up and bashing him over the head with it.

From beside him, Reiko chuckled at the sight of the Hokage doting on his spouse. "The man's besotted."

"Sadly," Madara sighed in disgust.

She turned her attention to him. "You find his behavior shameful?"

As he quickly became accustomed to happening whenever around the woman for extended periods, his intuition began clanging warning bells. He kept his gaze on Hashirama and Mito, refusing to look at the royal next to him. In a momentary lull, when no one's attention was on him, Madara saw Hashirama's exuberance slip. The Hokage quickly brightened again when Mito turned back to him, but Madara noticed.

He was silent for a long time, weighing his words extremely carefully, before he decided how to respond best.

"It's not shameful to love." He observed how Mito leaned into her husband's space, her placid expression incapable of hiding her affection. "I just wish he wouldn't gush so much."

That garnered a genteel chuckle from her, polite and restrained. "Not one for open displays?"

Madara snorted. "There's displaying and then there's making a spectacle. He goes off on tangents about how wonderful Mito is and then somehow works himself up into crying about it."

He felt Reiko still at that, and caught her head turning back to look at him again. "You can't be serious?"

"Yep."

The royal stared at him with widened eyes and then shook herself. "I see what you mean."

"I've got no problems with people expressing themselves," he rephrased. "I just don't like wild sentimentalism."

"Hmm..."

They remained quiet for a while as the Uchiha brought around food and drinks to the groups. They both ate their fill in that silence and then rested some after the dishes were collected. Reiko pulled out a dark wooden fan, gilded with lilies and doves, and popped it open to fan herself. When they were alone again, she returned to the initial question.

"So you do not find his behavior shameful?"

Madara sighed, knowing the woman wouldn't let him get away with not answering. He shifted his body so he was partially facing her, yet still monitored everyone around them for unwanted attention. Luckily, Shikamoto was facing away from them, trusting Madara to handle himself with the politician. Reiko, intelligent as she was, spotted the rearrangement for what it was and adjusted the fan so it covered her lips.

"You are looking for support in removing him," he accused quietly.

Dark eyes glinted with restrained satisfaction. "So clever, Lord Madara."

He shot her a subdued glare. "I'm going to stop you right there. Even if Hashirama was replaced, I don't want the job."

"But who else could fill the role?" She watched him struggle with an alternative and then destroyed his recommendations before Madara could utter a word. "Lady Senju leads her clan well enough, but that is because she has their loyalty. They are forgiving and overlook her inadequacies. Hyuuga is not an option, full stop. While he respects the chain of command, his family dislikes civilians. Akimichi relies too much on the Yamanaka and Nara. And Shikamoto Nara, the most likely individual, has lost my nephew's favor with that stunt his clan pulled with Butsuma Senju's marriage contract."

Madara breathed. Mindful of the dozens of shinobi surrounding them, he carefully smoothed his posture until it was as even-keeled as possible. It was one thing to speculate on what the Daimyo knew or not. However, having it verified so bluntly chilled him, and his stomach threatened to cramp.

"So the Daimyo does know."

She scoffed, soft but ugly. "Don't play the fool, Lord Uchiha. You know full well the rumors hit the capital."

"But that doesn't correlate to it reaching the Fire Lord."

"Those types of rumors do. My nephew's first inclination was to believe it all lies."

"And his second?"

Reiko cast her gaze over the area, where everyone was enjoying the weather and food. "He ordered his investigations department to pull the contract so they could put an end to the blatant attempts at undermining your village. After all, no shinobi clan of his would be so dishonorable."

From behind her fan, Madara could see her mouth twist into a scowl, even as the rest of her face remained pleasant. "Imagine his absolute ire when he was told it was all true, and that his own officials enabled it."

"Bribery?" he asked her cautiously.

"A great deal of it. Luckily, it was limited to a handful of people who have all died by now. Still, he didn't care for that potential black eye."

Madara glanced between Hashirama and Touka. "We haven't heard anything about it, though."

"Oh, you wouldn't." Reiko caught his eye and tilted her head just so, to make it appear as if she were laughing at something he said. "It's a sensitive subject, as you can imagine. It was kept contained to the immediate court."

"May I ask..."

She sighed and glanced away. "It was a massive liability. If courtiers challenged it, the Daimyo would have no choice but to acknowledge it. If he refused, he would have put himself at risk of international reprisal. In the end, he paid a settlement to the family for Court wrongdoing."

The Uchiha leader struggled to remain calm and battled the urge to snarl in rage. "Her clan sold her, Lady. They didn't deserve compensation for her suffering."

"My nephew agreed wholeheartedly. Which is why he paid it to her son, not her parents."

Madara bodily jerked at that and whipped his head around to stare at the woman with wide, shocked eyes. He knew immediately that he'd caught the attention of quite a number of the shinobi present, both in and out of his clan, but didn't care. At that moment, all he cared about was the first real piece of evidence about Tobirama's whereabouts they'd found in years.

Reiko gave him a sharp shake of her head before he could speak. "I would love to see your home, Lord Uchiha. I've heard that you built it to mirror your old one exactly."

He nodded and stood in one swift motion, holding out his hand to assist her up. Kawakami caught the action and moved to stand as well, but Reiko smiled pleasantly and waved him away. Her dry, aged hand slipped into his, and he hoped that she couldn't feel the pounding of his pulse. Gently, he lifted her and pasted a smile on his face to hide the excitement.

"Lord Madara has been kind enough to offer me a tour of his home as we're finished with lunch. Please, don't rush on our account. If you finish early, head on to the tower. We'll join you there." Reiko glanced at Aoi. "I'm sure Aoi-kun would be willing to escort us back."

The Hatake nodded from where she was sitting with Haru Inuzuka and quickly wiped her hands on a napkin before standing and moving over to them. "Certainly, Your Ladyship."

Madara refused to look towards any Senju ninja, knowing his expression would give something away that he didn't want them to see. He grinned at his brother and nodded his head at the crowd. "Keep this lot from burning the place down, yeah?"

Izuna, knowing full well something was going on but also that it wasn't the time to push, agreed. He pretended to be ignorant of the sudden tension and smacked his hands together and waved at one of his cousins. "Another glass of wine, then. Since I'm in charge!"

That garnered laughs from all around. Still, as they left the square, Madara felt several sets of eyes burrowing into him. Shikamoto and Mito for sure. Hashirama probably. Touka likely. Depending on how things went, he wasn't sure what he'd be telling them later.

They made the short journey to the clan head's house that sat off the main road. He opened the door for the Daimyo's aunt and stepped aside for her and her shinobi guard to enter. Aoi ran an assessing look around the space and then nodded to her employer.

"Want me to stay here?" she asked.

Reiko nodded. "Please."

The Hatake grunted and positioned herself in front of the door. "I'll keep the riff-raff out then."

Madara led Reiko up the stairs to his study and unlocked it with a swipe of blood over the seal. The ink absorbed the blood, leaving the paper as clean as it had been before. Inside, he rounded his desk to sit behind it. After being motioned at, Reiko glided over to one of the empty chairs in front of the desk and sat gracefully.

"You know where Tobirama is?" He cut straight to the chase, unwilling to play word games when it was just the two of them. If Reiko had problems with his disinclination for obfuscation, then that would help prove he wasn't the right man to be Hokage.

"No."

He narrowed his eyes in thought. "But you saw him?"

"I did not, no. But others did when the boy visited the Capitol."

"I'm surprised."

Reiko crossed her hands over her lap. "I'm not sure why. One doesn't simply ignore the Daimyo's summons."

He hummed. "Are you aware of our attempts to locate him?"

"We are. However, we're not getting involved with that."

Madara sat forward, eyes blazing. "Touka Senju has sent out a repatriation notice. He's a beloved member of her clan and the closest thing she has to a brother. You would deny her that?"

There was a hint of disdain in the woman as she challenged him. "Tobirama Senju fled to maintain his freedom. You would deny him that?"

That was a vicious punch to the gut. Madara winced and sat back in his seat. He dropped his gaze to the tabletop in shame before looking back up at his guest.

"The Uchiha would never have agreed to such terms. Never."

"Even if it meant a return to the fighting?"

The question was loaded with sharp, fox-like curiosity. Just like earlier at lunch, his instincts started screaming. They were telling him that Reiko had multiple purposes for being sent to the village. Far more than simply strong-arming Konoha into this contract. And he could waste hours playing games and parrying verbal swords with the Daimyo's direct representative in an attempt to discover those reasons. That wasn't his style, though. Instead, the Uchiha preferred to be direct when possible, barreling his way through with honesty.

"Yes. The Uchiha would never willingly ally themselves with someone with so little regard for their people." He tipped his chin. "In fact, we'd go so far as to claim bad faith on not only our behalf but the party at risk."

That grabbed the woman's attention like a bear-trap. "You'd involve yourself on your enemy's behalf?"

"Lady Reiko, no Uchiha worth their name would support such treatment of someone, especially the intended of one of their own. If that contract had been put in front of us, even the most war-hardened soldier would have refused nothing less than removing the proffered bride or groom from that family. It wouldn't matter if it were a destitute civilian or the clan's head themselves."

"Even if they wanted to remain?"

"Especially then," he barked before calming himself.

"So you would keep them prisoner?"

Her tone was silky and absolutely dripping with danger, but Madara wasn't intimidated. He shook his head. "No, we'd haul them to the Capitol and demand an emergency intercession on their behalf. We'd trust in the Daimyo's judgement."

That pleased the royal, and the sharp edges around Reiko softened until she was back to the elegant and refined woman she was trained to be. "I understand Tobirama is described as your clan's 'Greatest Enemy'."

"Not anymore," he denied. "He ceased being our enemy when the Senju signed the truce."

Madara sat forward again and rested his elbows on the table. He levied his full regard on the other and spoke with complete truthfulness. In the back of his mind, the Uchiha hoped that his words somehow made their way back to Tobirama, wherever he was.

"Tobirama Senju became our ally when his plans were used to build this village, and he became our friend when his cousin and sister became mine. I told Hashirama once, months ago, that Konoha has three founders. One of my greatest wishes is that, one day, the third finally gets to see what he helped create. We owe that to him."

"I don't know where he is, Madara-kun." The affectionate address startled him, and Reiko relaxed at his reaction. "The settlement was paid two years ago. He took it with great reluctance and left soon after."

"Why would he be reluctant? Without Senju backing, what money did he have to support himself?"

The politician scoffed lightly, sat back in her seat, and waved a hand in the air. "The boy called it blood money."

"I sincerely hope the Daimyo didn't hear about that," he wheezed.

Reiko snorted. "He said that to my nephew's face."

Madara felt the blood drain from his head. "Oh, god. He's dead, isn't he? That's why we can't find him."

That made the woman throw her head back and cackle. Her eyes closed in mirth, and her shoulders shook from the joyful laughter that escaped uncontrollably. It took several minutes to calm down, as each time she glanced at Madara's horrified countenance, she launched back into hysterics. Eventually, though, she calmed down and wiped at the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she apologized breathlessly. "That was unseemly."

"Please tell me he's not dead," Madara begged. "I really, really don't want to have to tell Touka her brother is dead because he back-talked the leader of our country."

Reiko laughed again at that. Thankfully, it was short-lived this time, and she quickly regained control. "No, Tobirama-kun isn't dead. Nor is he locked away in some dank dungeon under the castle."

She giggled again but pressed her lips together, hummed, and blew out a breath to curb the urge to laugh. "He left the Capitol of his own volition, and the Daimyo elected not to send assassins after."

The Uchiha scowled at the levity. "So he insulted the Daimyo, and the man let him get away with it?!"

That sobered the woman up significantly. She straightened and frowned at him. "Tobirama was unsurprisingly upset, and the Daimyo understood that."

"What happened?" he asked her. "How did the Daimyo find him when we couldn't?"

Reiko pursed her lips and thought her words over carefully. "This entire conversation is privileged, Lord Uchiha. I'm using my authority and ordering you to silence."

"But-"

"No." The royal glared at him. "I am willing to explain what I know, but only if you respect the need for confidentiality. I understand that Lady Senju is searching for her cousin, but the settlement agreement is sealed. Details cannot be released without the Daimyo's authority or Tobirama's permission."

He huffed. "You're placing me in a difficult situation, Lady Reiko."

"I know," she acknowledged. "But if you want to know, you must agree to the terms."

A full minute passed as he thought it over. Yes, he could refuse, but then he'd lose what information about the younger Senju brother he would have been able to glean otherwise. Who knew? He may be able to track part of Tobirama's travel history and find a clue as to where he went next. Yes, it was years ago, but knowing where he had been two years ago was a whole hell of a lot better than six. Madara couldn't help but want to find the younger man and drag him to the village, kicking and screaming, if it meant uniting him with his clan and family. Maybe, then, Touka would settle for simply maiming Hashirama instead of murdering the idiot.

"I will not speak a word of what you tell me to anyone, including Touka, Hashirama, his wife, and my brother. However, I will use what I glean from it to try to locate Tobirama and bring him home."

"As long as you do not mention the details in that effort or where you got them, I'm not going to interfere."

He nodded and held out his hand. Reiko raised an eyebrow again but humored him. She leaned forward and shook it. With that settled and over with, she leaned back in her chair and sighed tiredly.

"It was a mess. Three administrators over the course of forty years took bribes of gold and gifts to assist in passing contracts through unimpeded."

"Marriage?" If so, he was afraid of just how many other men and women were allowed to be abused like Sachiko.

"No. Well, there was one other marriage contract, but that was over a decade before the Senju one. All parties involved in that one are dead, so no action needed to be taken, thankfully. The other agreements were in trade. The Senju issue was the only one grievous enough to require restitution to the injured parties. The Daimyo was furious with the divisions responsible."

As he should be, Madara thought ungraciously. The corruption was, ultimately, his fault. His paying a settlement to the family was more to cover his ass than to show remorse. In any other situation, the injured party's family would have the right to sue. Since the defendant would be the Daimyo, the case would be referred to the Shogunate court, which the man would do everything possible to avoid.

While the Daimyos were the ultimate rulers of their respective lands, there was still one level beyond them. In name, at least, if not practice. Once, centuries and centuries ago, when the oldest clans were still relatively young, the continent had been united under a single ruler. The Shogun. He, over time, lost most of his influence and power. Eventually, that family was relegated to the outermost edges of the continent to oversee a single country of their own.

The Land of Iron was the Shogun's last bastion. His military forces were overseen by a general, but the Shogun was the ultimate power. That was why the country still utilized samurai. Despite them shunning the use of jutsu, though not chakra as a whole, they could go toe to toe with stronger ninja. They also tended to be far superior in swordsmanship. Because of that, the shinobi forces gave Iron a wide berth. And because their ninja did, so did the Daimyo.

Except for when they needed a neutral party to mediate or pick a winner in an argument. The various Daimyo would turn to Iron's Shogun when they needed an unbiased opinion. However, despite the gradual shifting of power from the Shogun to the Daimyo, there were still a couple of institutions on the books that sat under Iron's purview. The Shogunate Court was one of the only remaining instances of continental authority they had, and even the national Lords bowed to it when demanded to. It was, unsurprisingly, fiercely protected by everyone in the highest levels. After all, it facilitated the Daimyos' suing each other.

A citizen suing their Daimyo automatically bumped the case into the Shogunate court for review. Otherwise, the Daimyo could dismiss the crime in one breath and then mete out reprisal to the plaintiff in the next. But with the Shogunate, if the Shogun agreed to hear it, by international law, the different Daimyo were required to attend the trial. The Shogun would listen to both sides of the case and make a binding judgement. If the Daimyo refused to accept the verdict, the other rulers were obligated to intervene and uphold the Shogun's decision.

Madara shook himself from his musings. "So he agreed to pay Tobirama for his mother's suffering."

"No, he decided to. The Daimyo was the one to initiate it. There is a difference. He sent word to the clans not allied with Konoha, asking them to locate the boy and pass on the summons. Luckily, Tobirama was travelling through and they found him relatively quickly. He obeyed and came to the Capitol."

Reiko grimaced slightly. "The predetermined settlement was left to one of the upper administrators to pass on to the boy. However, instead of accepting it as expected, he told the minister that he would think about it and then left. He returned the next day and informed the man that he had further conditions."

Oh, god. How stupid was the albino? You don't make demands of the Daimyo!

His thoughts must have been visible because the woman grimaced in commiseration. "As you can imagine, my nephew wasn't pleased."

"What happened?"

"Well, the Daimyo wanted to punish him. He was livid at the boy's gall. Luckily, though, the Seishitsu heard about him being so angry and went to find out what happened. Once she learned the story, Masako convinced him not to act rashly. She calmed him down and helped him understand things from Tobirama's point of view. From there, my nephew sought me out for my take on things as well."

"You are one of his top advisors," Madara pointed out. "I'd be surprised if he hadn't asked for your opinion."

That garnered a small smile, but the woman shook her head. "Kind of you, Lord Madara, but that wasn't why he wanted to speak to me. Not really."

She hesitated, but then sighed tiredly. "My nephew's mother died when he was very young. He barely remembers her. I was the one to raise him. Because of that, when his wife asked him to put himself in Tobirama's place, I was the one he thought of, not my sister-in-law.

"He was shaken, Lord Madara," she conveyed. "He told me he would have done much, much worse than simply ask for policy changes from the man ultimately responsible for my abuse and death. My nephew didn't know which path to follow, the one of a son or a ruler.

"He was in an impossible position. After speaking with his wife, he sympathized with the boy. However, if he capitulated to Tobirama's demands, he was afraid he would look weak in front of the court. If he refused, he risked being sued. He was damned either way."

The office lapsed into a heavy quiet after that. Reiko was visibly upset, clearly remembering that conversation with her nephew. Madara felt for her... and, surprisingly, for the Daimyo. After all, if the Uchiha leader were in the same situation as Tobirama, Madara knew he would have burned the Capitol to the ground until not even ashes remained.

"After I listened to the whole story, I felt so much pity for the young man. But I understood the dilemma the Daimyo was in as well. I listened to his concerns and then pointed out there was a third option he wasn't seeing... compromise.

"He agreed to the boy's conditions but reduced the ultimate monetary portion. It could be passed off to the court as the Daimyo working to better safeguard the country's inner workings. However..."

She trailed off, and Madara easily picked up, understanding the ugly reality of court life. "The court would view it as a punishment since Tobirama would receive less compensation."

Reiko nodded. "Amazingly, though, most of the court members who were aware of the true details fully supported the first and not the second viewpoint. They praised the Daimyo for his dedication to the people and his desire to stamp out corruption and prevent future instances of such cruelty."

"I bet that made the decision easier to swallow," Madara murmured. That earned him a disapproving look, which the man disregarded. "Lady Reiko, the Daimyo is ruler first and foremost. While he was able to reconcile his conflicting desires in this instance, which I'm grateful for, I wouldn't expect him to choose the softer option if it risked his standing."

"Why are you grateful? You had no personal stake in it."

"Because Sachiko deserved better, and Tobirama, as her son, had the right to defend her honor. I'm grateful that our Lord is the kind of man who can empathize with someone who doesn't directly bolster his standing in court. I'm grateful that he was compassionate enough to bend when it wasn't necessary so he could meet a grieving son as an equal as much as possible.

"The Daimyo all have a universal reputation of being cold and uncaring. They're viewed as shogi masters, and everyone below them is only a pawn to use and throw away as they see fit. If the Fire Lord is still human enough to remember that his citizens are people and deserve at least a second thought, I'm greatly relieved that he is our Lord."

"Pretty words," Reiko murmured.

"But honest," he countered. "So, where did Tobirama being a little fool and calling it blood money come into play?"

She snorted at his description of the albino but didn't address it. "My nephew decided to speak to the boy personally instead of having a minister handle it. My nephew hasn't mentioned what they discussed in that meeting. However, to my understanding, Tobirama only agreed to accept because the settlement would help prevent future mistreatment like what his mother suffered."

Madara leaned on his left armrest, raising that hand to his mouth. The appendage was loosely curled, and the side of his pointer finger ran across his lips as he thought about everything he had been told.

"Lady Reiko, why tell me this? I'm not Senju. I'm not even someone Tobirama would trust. The last time we saw each other was on the battlefield, and he had just stabbed my brother."

"As the other founder of this village, you need to be aware of the full scope of the debt. It's more than just the cost of the village investment. The Daimyo holds the settlement against Konoha as well. The actions of the Senju elders led to their heir abandoning his home. Which, in turn, resulted in Touka Senju breaking silence about Butsuma's second wife.

"That," she pressed with a small scowl, "elicited the Nara bringing the attention of the entire capital and a good chunk of the rest of the nation's administration down upon the Daimyo's court. Add to that the whispers of unrest and dissatisfaction within Konoha regarding its leader? You're in very choppy waters."

"Which brings us back around to the original issue." Madara scowled. "I don't want to be Hokage. Even if I did, it's Hashirama's dream."

"The Daimyo doesn't care about dreams, Madara Uchiha. He cares about results."

Reiko's voice was abruptly cold and eyes flinty as she stared him down. She sat ramrod straight in her chair, her chin tilted proudly, looking every bit the Daimyo's chief advisor. This was the woman who had successfully ruled the country in her brother-in-law's stead and transformed the court through sheer stubbornness, dedication, and dignified intimidation. She'd wrestled every ounce of respect she now had out of the hands of old, misogynistic fuckers that insulted her behind her back and scoffed to her face. She understood better than almost anyone what it took to govern.

"Let me put this in plain terms as you prefer directness." She shifted slightly, bringing forth the illusion of her sitting upon a throne. "If this endeavor of yours fails, you'll be sent back to your ancestral compounds. The three clans will be stripped of their nobility, and gentry status will be bestowed on a shinobi clan outside Konoha. The Uchiha will become a vassal clan to the Aburame. The Senju will join you. The Akimichi and Hyuuga will be placed under the new family. The remaining clans of this village will be split between the two."

The room lapsed into heavy and suffocating silence. Madara was too stunned to speak, and Reiko didn't seem bothered to do so. And why would she? She wasn't the one who had been threatened. She hadn't been the one to have her absolute worst nightmare brought to life and then amplified to new levels. It wasn't her who now had the massive weight of guilt and responsibility crushing her to the ground. Why would she feel the need to speak past what felt like a metal bit in her mouth?

It took him a second or two to realize it was blood he was tasting, not metal. At some point in Reiko's ultimatum, Madara had bitten his tongue. He hadn't done a lot of damage, but he could feel the wound steadily leaking if he worried it. The man swallowed, trying to wash away the taste, before speaking.

"No pressure or anything," he tried to quip.

"Can you understand why both the Daimyo and I don't feel confident in Hashirama Senju remaining as Hokage?"

Madara grimaced. "Hashirama may have his faults, but he believes in this village. He loves it."

"If love were enough, there would be no war or politics." Reiko was quiet for a beat before she softened with a sigh. "Madara-kun, I don't think he's a bad person. On the contrary, he has to be very kind to bring so many clans together."

"Just a bad leader," he bit out.

Her eyes hardened again. "Kindness doesn't put food on the table. Hard work does. Tell me he's capable of the hard work. Tell me he's willing to do it without someone forcing the issue."

There was no doubt in Madara's mind that Hashirama was capable. He'd more than proved that when building the village. But... but Madara knew that there were different kinds of effort. The initial injection of labor, although massive and lasting, was short-term, with a clear finish line and tangible results. Maintaining that, though, was another hurdle. Beyond that, changing it was the ultimate undertaking. And as much as it felt like a betrayal to his friend, Madara knew Hashirama struggled with the latter two.

It was easy enough to maintain the status quo when everything worked the way it should. However, as new problems arose day after day, the Mokuton user began to stumble. Issues where the same answer already provided didn't work generated headaches and little else. But it was workable. Hashirama was good at devising bandages to slap on the problem and keep catastrophe at bay.

But when catastrophe grew too large and no makeshift dam was sturdy enough to hold it back any longer? That's where the man floundered. Not because he wasn't capable of stepping up to meet it, no, but because he seemed to be unable to acknowledge it was happening. Whether Hashirama recognized the construction issues when they first appeared, the Uchiha did not know. He did know that multiple people had to keep pointing it out and emphasizing the need to deal with it. Others began talking about a need for a long-term fix, and the Senju just threw out more of the same temporary band-aids.

Reiko took his silence to be agreement. "Loving the village isn't the problem. Leading it is. And Hashirama Senju has proven to lack what it takes to govern what will become a town of thousands of shinobi and tens of thousands of civilians."

"So that's it? You're replacing him?"

"We need a candidate first."

"I'm not taking the hat from him."

She scowled. "Then who? No one else here is capable or trusted enough. Nara lost that trust when he endangered the Daimyo's reputation without thought. If you do not take the position, then someone else will. And that someone would then have to be from outside."

"You'd appoint a civilian? Lady Reiko, that's suicide!"

"You forget there are half a dozen major clans not affiliated with Konoha. That's half a dozen options the Daimyo would choose from to keep this place in line."

That shut Madara up. "Not softening the blow, then?"

The woman scoffed. "You wouldn't respect me if I did."

"True," he nodded. After a brief moment for thought, he continued. "Is there any chance of letting him keep it? If we were able to fix the problems and get through to him on issues where he lacked?"

"And the areas he's not fit to take charge on?"

"Hashirama is not a complete fool. He's capable of learning. However, to your concern, we'd split it. Have his advisors take those duties on with his final approval required," he threw out.

"You'd be making the role one of a figurehead. If Hashirama Senju is Hokage for thirty years, the next leader will be dropped into the same position with the same limitations. What if they were qualified, Lord Madara? You'd be confining them to a role where they could make very little change themselves."

Which was frustratingly true.

Irritation eased a bit in her, and Reiko waved a hand. "I've seen people come and go in court positions. I've seen positions created and abolished in the same year because they failed to meet expectations. What you need to realize is this... You must create something with the future as a goal, not a second thought.

"You cannot create and mold this village to meet your current needs. It must work for the generations to come. So too must you form your leadership. Either the Hokage position is created so Hashirama can hold it, or you create it so that later generations may. No one is like Lord Senju. You will not find another person with his strengths and weaknesses to sit in that seat time and time again. As upsetting as it may be, you need to plan for the future, and Hashirama Senju is not it."

"And you think I am?!" he asked her, disbelief blatant in his tone and expression.

It made her smile sadly at him. "No, neither of you is the future. But between the two, you are capable of the pragmatism needed to usher, shove, and wrench these people into position long enough for them to grow into what they'll become. You have what it takes to keep this place standing and on equal footing until the next generation is ready to step up and lead. That's what's needed right now, Madara-kun. Konoha doesn't need a general or a priest. It needs a paper-pusher who isn't afraid of knocking heads and spitting fire."

"I can't do it," he refused. "I'm sorry, Lady, but I simply can't."

She studied him shrewdly and then tipped her head. "Is it that you can't bring yourself to take the hat from him?"

"It's a betrayal," he admitted painfully. "I can't steal Hashirama's dream from him."

They remained quiet for a minute after that before Reiko nodded, accepting his decision. "Very well. We'll give it until after the contract is complete."

Hope fluttered in his chest, and he looked up at her optimistically. "You will?"

"Yes. Perhaps, by then, there will be a clear and willing choice to step up into the position."

Suspicion suddenly nagged at him. "You're not thinking the Ishaan, are you?"

"No," Reiko denied. It was immediate and full of gravitas. "The Ishaan is too valuable on the global scale to strip him of that and relegate him to a governor position. Besides, he wouldn't want it, even if the Daimyo offered."

"So, instead, he'll be your eyes and ears?"

Again, Reiko refused. "He's made it clear that he wants nothing to do with that decision. He's not inclined to kingdom building, and choosing the next Fire Hokage is a step in that direction. My nephew agrees."

Which was true. Anyone Ishaan had a hand in selecting would feel an obligation towards him. It risked the delicate balance he struck between the countries. Add in the fact that the other major nations were also attempting to build their own villages, and it made things even worse. An Ishaan-appointed Kage could be pressured to support Ishaan against another village that opposed him. That could set the future shinobi villages against each other.

"If necessary, the Daimyo will appoint a new Hokage based on the final reports and his own judgment. Ishaan wants no part of that, so I ask you not to involve him."

It wasn't a request, and they both knew it. Madara nodded. He could see why she felt the need to give that order. It would be tempting to try to utilize the man's connection to the Daimyo to attempt to sway the ruler's opinion on the matter. The Ishaan, while well-connected, didn't seem inclined towards politics, though. If anything, what they'd discovered and heard about him made it sound like he went out of his way to avoid it when he could. Which was why the Fire Daimyo probably liked him as well as he did.

"I will take care to respect his wishes on any such matter."

"Do. You'll be surprised how far that will get you if you do."

Knowing there had to be a story there, but savvy enough to know not to push, Madara nodded and then motioned to the door. "Is there anything else you would like to discuss? We've been gone quite a while."

"They'll manage," Reiko proclaimed. "But not really. Oh! Actually..."

She sat forward some. "It will be brought up this afternoon, but Lady Sada will be remaining behind until the second wave of court officials arrives. I want to house her here with you, Lord Uchiha."

"Not-" she continued before he could interrupt, "because I want you to take the Hokage position. Not only will you be giving up land for the Ishaan, but you're also a noble clan."

"And Lady Sada is Lord Kawakami's wife," he extrapolated. "Optics."

"Yes. Lady Akimichi is suitable enough, but I'd feel more comfortable with her here in your compound."

"And Lord Hyuuga?" Madara inquired.

There wasn't anything obvious, but he got the feeling that Reiko didn't care for Haruko.

"His clan doesn't care for civilians. I'm afraid Lady Sada may feel alienated if she stays with them. I'd much rather the Uchiha as they've already proven their willingness to embrace us."

"And the Hokage's home is not suitable?"

"It is, but not as fitting when compared directly to yours."

"You honor us," he murmured half-heartedly.

"I want to make sure she's taken care of," Reiko refuted. "She's a very gentle and compassionate woman, and Yoko-san loves her dearly."

Madara inclined his head, agreeing to her request. "The Uchiha will be happy to house Lady Kawakami."

The politician smiled more genuinely at that. "Thank you. Now, shall we go see what the others have gotten up to?"

He took a breath and then locked away their conversation behind his mental walls. Any negative emotion or stray thought was wrangled into subjugation. Madara couldn't let his feelings about Reiko's revelations spoil the rest of the afternoon. They needed to finalize the last details of the contract so they could send the delegation packing. After he was sure he had himself under control, Madara stood and rounded the desk.

He offered Reiko his arm and smiled. "Let's."

Chapter Text

The afternoon went surprisingly well. Whether it was because Reiko decided to show mercy or that the details left to finalize just happened to be easy to agree on, Madara wasn't quite sure. Either way, they had almost all of the necessary work done by four o'clock. The only delay occurred when Kawakami informed them that his wife would be staying behind.

"May I ask why, Lord Kawakami?" Hashirama enquired, understandable confusion tinting the question.

Instead of the minister answering, it was his wife who spoke up. While she had participated a few times since the talks commenced the day prior, Sada had not moderated any topic nor driven one. The lady had remained quiet beside her husband, observing the proceedings with calm dignity. So, it was interesting that she took the lead now.

"There will be a week and a half between when this delegation leaves and the Capitol officials arrive to start work on Ishaan's estate. A messenger will be dispatched as soon as the contract is signed, and the second group would depart immediately. They began formalizing that roster even as this group left. I suggested that I could assist during that overlap. I'm sure there will be questions about expected etiquette. Also, with Konoha supplying the household goods, I can help create a list of what is needed and the required quality."

"Your offer is most gracious, Lady Kawakami," Hashirama bowed his head to her, "but wouldn't it be difficult to remain behind with your husband returning home?"

She smiled at the man. "Your concern is admirable, Lord Hokage, but it's unnecessary. I'm quite suited for something like this, and I survived quite well on my own before marrying Yoko."

Realizing his overstep, Hashirama winced and nodded in acceptance. "Of course, my apologies. Konoha will be happy to continue to house you! Only... your current accommodations will not be available. You see, they, uh-"

Madara stepped in to stop the bumbling. "The Hyuuga need that land back, I'm afraid. However, I'm sure that won't be an issue. If Lady Sada only plans to retain her attendant and a handful of guards for the interim. It would make much more sense for her and her detail to reside with one of the clans."

Hashirama perked up, no doubt about to offer up his own home. However, Madara, expecting this, twisted his chakra just so and stabbed it at Choko beside him. The woman jerked in her seat, startled at the unfamiliar sensation, but rallied once she realized who had done it. She shot the Uchiha a confused look. Madara swiftly looked towards Hashirama and back, and the Akimichi quickly understood the message.

"I'd offer up my own home, Lady Sada," Choko jumped in before Hashirama could voice his offer. "However, I feel Lord Uchiha would be a better option. They are, after all, the ones that will house the Ishaan."

The Mokuton user deflated at that, understanding the politicking going on around him, but showed his support by seconding the opinion. "Yes, and they are a noble clan, as well as the second founders of the village."

"I first thought of Lord Uchiha as well," Sada admitted with a smile, "but I did not want to presume."

"The Hyuuga would also be suitable," Haruko chimed in, not wanting to be outclassed by the Uchiha again.

However, Sada shook her head. "While I'm sure your home is lovely, I'm afraid I'm being selfish in this, Lord Hyuuga. You see, above all, I wish to reside with a friendly face."

The room's occupants all blinked before turning their attention to Madara. The fire user flushed a little but refused to acknowledge his discomfort beyond that. He'd been half-expecting something like this to come up since he realized who Sada was the night before.

"You two know each other?" Hashirama asked, his head swiveling between his friend and the lead minister's wife.

"Oh, we met just the once, many years ago," Sada explained. "I'm surprised Lord Uchiha even remembered me."

"You were unforgettable, Lady," Madara denied. "It simply took me a while to place your face."

"My lack of face paint didn't help, I'm sure," she teased.

Madara smiled back. "Your voice and humor were enough to trip my memory."

"If it's not overstepping," Inoichi pried, "how do you two know each other?"

Sada and Madara shared a glance, silently asking the other if it was alright to answer, and then nodded in unison. Sada was the one to reply to the Yamanaka clan head. She tipped her head shyly and glanced up at him from under her lashes.

"I met Lord Uchiha when he was a boy. His father brought him to the Capitol and wanted to reward him a little for taking on additional duties." Her smile softened with the memory. "He was a breath of fresh air after dozens of stuffy, honorable clients."

Most of the shinobi were quick on the uptake. Their eyes widened and began to dart between Sada and Madara, and then Madara and Kawakami. Still, it was Touka who had the balls to voice what they were all thinking.

"You were a geisha?"

Sada nodded, unashamed.

"One of the best," Kawakami bragged, seemingly unbothered about his wife's past or that she knew Madara.

"Father thought I was old enough to appreciate the fine arts."

That made Sada giggle. "You enjoyed the dancing well enough, but the tea ceremony was not your forte."

Madara groaned. "Your intervention was the only reason Father didn't punish me for not sitting still."

Sada's laughter brightened. "You were thirteen, Lord Uchiha. You behaved sufficiently, and Lord Tajama was happy enough to let it go."

"Surprisingly," Madara grumbled. He rallied and tried to bring the conversation back around to the original topic. "I'd be happy to house you, Lady."

Kawakami bobbed his head, pleased. "Good. We'll transfer my wife's belongings to your residence before we depart. I'm sure you have the room for her maid."

The fire user assured him that they did. "And the guards can stay in a spare room, if they're fine with a little dust."

"They'll live," Reiko quipped. "We'll depart the day after tomorrow. That will give us time to stock up and prepare for the journey."

"Would you like us to send a cart over early that morning?"

Lady Sada agreed. "Yes, please. I'll walk with the delegation to the gates and then visit your home to unpack my things. We could then meet in the afternoon to begin going over things?"

"That is a wonderful plan, Lady Sada," Hashirama chirped. "And if you'd like, you could have dinner with my wife and me that evening."

"Lovely," Sada said demurely. "Now that that is settled, should we continue on?"

They finished what little business needed to be negotiated and broke for the afternoon. That would give Lin Liu time to rewrite the final draft of the contract for Hashirama and Kawakami to review that evening. The day between that and signing the damn thing was because it had to be transferred in triplicate to the ornate scrolls brought along. One copy would remain behind, to be stored in Hashirama's office under preservation and protection seals. The other two would go back to the Capitol with the messenger, intended for the Daimyo and Ishaan.

So, with time to kill before they had to meet in the pavilion, the shinobi broke up and headed off to their homes. No doubt, they'd all be passing on the latest information to their clans. While it wasn't quite early evening yet, there weren't many people out. Assumedly, most of the clans were gathered in their compounds, waiting for their leadership to arrive. By now, the reality of their situation was common knowledge, and everyone was nervous to have a feasible solution presented. The village as a whole became increasingly invested after the Ishaan was initially suggested, and then even further as the delegation arrived to finalize details.

As they made their way down the main street towards the Uchiha district, Izuna bumped his shoulder into Madara's.

"Glad all that's done with?"

"We've still got to sign the damn thing," the elder of the two grumbled.

His brother sighed. "Focus on the bright side, Madara! We were able to pass all their stupid tests. They're taking the payment back with them, and all we have to do now is build the Ishaan's home and stock it. And we don't even have to rush like we did with this house!"

We didn't pass all their tests, Madara thought pessimistically. They had six months to try to convince the Daimyo to keep Hashirama as Hokage. And that was only if he was able to persuade the clans to give him a second chance. And that was only if he could talk Hashirama into admitting he needed help. None of which was likely.

"What did the ol' battle-axe want?"

Madara jerked to a stop and turned a poleaxed expression onto his little sibling. "Did you just call Reiko Naruhito, the Daimyo's aunt, a 'battle-axe'?"

Izuna nodded, unperturbed. "She's scary."

"That's beside the point!"

"That's exactly the point. I even think she'd consider it a compliment."

"Izuna!"

"Don't dodge the subject!" the younger man grumped.

Madara sighed. "I can't tell you the specifics." He continued before Izuna could work up the steam to complain. "She ordered me to silence, 'Zuna."

That stopped the impending whining fit before it could gain traction, and the other man blinked. "So, you really can't tell me?"

"No," Madara growled. "Or anybody else. So, don't go mentioning it to anyone. And I mean anyone."

"Can you tell me if it's bad or good for us?"

He contemplated that while they walked. Breaking the entire conversation down, Madara separated it into three categories.

The first, Tobirama surfacing, was a terrific thing. While he doubted it would bear immediate fruit, the hope was there that he'd be able to track the albino down eventually. Madara wished he knew how the exiled Senju would react if the Uchiha clan head suddenly showed up wanting to talk. A nagging suspicion was there that the man would go for his throat before Madara got a word in edgewise.

The second thing was the knowledge about the settlement agreement and its impact on Konoha. Reiko's explanation answered the question Madara had had about why the Daimyo sat on the marriage contract issue and avoided addressing it. He had handled it, but privately and with the injured party. With the significant chance of getting egg on his face, the Daimyo had done his best to keep the details contained.

Lastly, was the bomb tag about the Daimyo wanting to replace Hashirama. Madara knew he wouldn't bring that up to Izuna, even if he could. His brother would seize any opportunity to make things as difficult as possible for the Senju, despite the impact on the village. If Madara told Izuna, his brother would be spearheading a confidential smear campaign to help the Daimyo's decision along.

Overall, it wasn't good news. But he didn't know how to admit that to Izuna without explaining. His brother would want details, even knowing Madara had been sworn to silence.

"It could be better," he admitted finally. "But it's not the end of the world. Most of it wasn't a real surprise."

Like he expected, Izuna picked up on his choice of words. "Most of it?"

"Hmm," he nodded. "A good surprise, not related to the Ishaan."

"If I guess, would you confirm it?" his little brother weasled.

"No," Madara sighed out with frustration. "However, on a completely unrelated note... How many clan members still have issues with the repatriation notice?"

Izuna jerked to a standstill. He stared at Madara blankly for a long moment before his eyes began to widen. It was a weird mixture of horror and excitement. There were echoes of the old fears still lingering, but they were overshadowed by a newer and stronger elation at possibly getting a chance to test his skills against his rival outside a death match. And, Madara brooded with a great deal of pessimism, Izuna, with his unerring accuracy of a younger sibling, would perceive the opportunity to humiliate his older brother by alluding to the stupid and completely untrue rumors about Madara's being infatuated with the albino.

"He... you found..."

"I'm just asking, Izuna."

That deflated the younger Uchiha, and Izuna pouted before he sighed. He began to walk again, and Madara waited for him to reach even before he restarted his steps as well. They were almost at the Uchiha main gate before his brother answered.

"It's mostly the old guard that has a problem with it. Anyone our generation and younger has gotten used to the idea of him. The horror stories really seemed to help. I swear, some of the kids are stupidly interested. I've seen them around with that Senju demon-spawn, Kouka, wanting to hear more about what the Ghost got up to."

"Really?"

Madara wasn't surprised that he wasn't aware of that tidbit. Children were wary of him and tended to be very tight-lipped when he was around. Being related to him made no difference. If anything, it made things worse since they were exposed to him more often.

The other male nodded. "There was this time that he took a dozen of the Senju kids out into the forest on a training trip. He walked them in circles and then abandoned them under the tallest tree in the area. He said that if they wanted to get home, they had to climb the tree to find the compound."

Madara scoffed. "So? That's not hard."

"Yeah... Kagami said that Kouka said Tobirama tied their hands behind their backs so they had to walk up the tree."

Madara pulled to a stop, giving his brother an incredulous look. "I'm sorry, did you just say that Tobirama took a dozen kids into the forest, during wartime, bound them, and then left them there?"

Izuna nodded fervently. "The demon spawn said it took all day and night, but they all got tree walking down. As soon as the last one figured it out, Tobirama popped out of nowhere, patted them on the heads like dogs, and then took them to the nearby village for dango."

"I don't even know where to start with that," Madara croaked.

"I know, right! Like, first, it's sucky just to leave them there. But he really didn't? It sounds like he was hiding somewhere and watching like a creep. But to take them for treats after? Seriously?"

"Twelve children, and they all learned tree walking in a day?"

The importance of that part of the story hadn't seemed to register with his brother before, because he had to stop to think it over. Madara could practically see Izuna's brain stall at the realization. Tobirama successfully taught a complex fundamental to a dozen children in a day, as if it were nothing. It had taken Madara a week to work out how to regulate his chakra enough to walk up trunks. Izuna had taken almost two.

"Wait..." Madara's brain jumped track. "Is that why more of the mothers are complaining about having to take the kids to the clinic?"

"Yep!" Izuna stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked backwards. "If they're not running into trees head-on, they're falling off them."

Madara groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. "Please tell the minders to start doing their jobs."

"I would, but then they'd just gut me for insinuating they suck at not keeping the kids alive. They pointed out that the main risk is the little pyros burning the village down. A few broken bones and concussions are preferable to not, you know, having a house."

The clan leader sighed sufferingly before turning back to the entrance. As he walked through the gate, he spotted most of his clan milling about the square. Careful with his strength, he pushed his way between cousins to try to get to the space in the mass of bodies. People quickly realized he'd arrived, and they parted before him to give him a clear path. When he reached the center of the courtyard, he held up his hand for silence. His family quieted down and turned their attention to him and Izuna, who had joined him.

"Uchiha," he called, his voice booming over their heads so everyone could hear. "The talks have been completed successfully. We sign the contract tomorrow night. The Ishaan will come!"

A loud cheer went up from the back of the crowd. Another followed from the opposite side of the gathering. Soon, it was all one massive cacophony of joyous whoops and whooshes as hot jets of flame were belched into the air. The delight and relief their clansmen felt were contagious, and Madara grinned at his brother before he tilted his face to the sky and roared.

Chakra, tightly leashed, roiled under his skin once, twice, before he let it free. It blew out of him in all directions like an explosion of smoke, blanketing the entire clan. People shrieked before they understood what was happening, and then their cheers grew louder with excitement. Madara twisted his chakra and snapped it back towards him, shielding him and Izuna in its inky darkness as he released the hand sign he'd been holding. A great ball of fire soared up into the sky, curving in on itself as it rocketed up. When it reached its peak, the ball unfurled into the shape of a massive hawk. It swooped towards the gawking mass below, pulling up before its heat was anything more than a glancing touch of warmth, and then erupted into hundreds of small explosions. The clan went nuts. Their leader's display of power rallied them into higher levels of excitement, and they let loose their own jets of fire.

"Uchiha! Uchiha," Madara cried after several minutes of celebration. It took a little while, but the crowd finally settled. Once he was sure he had their attention again, he continued. "The work is not over. We must come together as a village to complete the next steps. The Ishaan will have a home here in Konoha and with the Uchiha. We have gifted him land, and we must build him a residence, per the Daimyo's contract with the man.

"I ask that you all show patience and graciousness in the next two months. I ask, as your clan head, to put your best face forward at all times. No doubt, there will be contention while we work on fulfilling the Daimyo's housing requirements. However, this clan will be the first and most significant impression upon Ishaan. We must strive to prove why it is that the Uchiha are the greatest!"

Cries went up again, pride ringing clearly through the air.

Izuna joined him and held up his hand for silence. "Cousins! Brothers, sisters! Aunts and Uncles! Listen, Listen!"

The clan settled again, and Izuna spoke. "The Ishaan will come to aid us, but we must remember that it is through our own hard work that we will succeed. We cannot fall complacent. We cannot think that one man will solve all our problems."

People began nodding at that, agreeing with Izuna's warnings.

"But above all, we must show Ishaan why Konoha should be his home. I know you all, I know your hearts. You are good people. Let Ishaan see that, bring him into your hearts and homes. The Uchiha will have no greater victory than calling this man 'friend'."

The Uchiha clan was comprised of intelligent individuals who made their living by deciphering hidden messages within messages. Madara could pick out the dozens of people who immediately comprehended Izuna's veiled order. Those who didn't would be informed in the privacy of their homes. For those who weren't told at all, well, there would be a reason for that. Either too young to keep it to themselves, too free with their thoughts, or those who couldn't be trusted. The last group was the one that worried Madara the most. He only hoped that either he or Izuna would be given a list before Ishaan arrived, so they knew who to keep an eye on.

Madara cleared his throat and closed out the assembly. "Tomorrow we sign the contract. After that, there will be a village-wide gathering. It won't be anything grand! But feel free to stop by the pavilion whenever you can to grab something to eat and mingle. I doubt we'll have many such opportunities the rest of this year."

Soon after that last announcement, the clan broke up. Some headed out to patrol, others left to grab dinner at restaurants. Most, however, remained in or around the square. They gossiped and speculated and laughed. Almost everyone was happy, though. And it warmed something in Madara as he stood there, taking it all in.

"Good job, Madara-kun, Izuna-chan."

Izuna groaned and turned to their great-aunt. "Auntie! Don't call me 'chan'!"

Makodo chuckled and came to a stop beside her nephews. "I'm sorry, you know how forgetful I am in my old age."

Madara snorted at that and shot the elder a disbelieving look.

"Oh, don't you start now," she huffed and waved a finger at the elder of the two men. "Besides, I meant it. You did a wonderful job riling up the clan. I haven't seen everyone so excited since we first moved into the compound."

"Thank you, Aunt Makodo," the brothers intoned in unison.

"Hmph. Just be sure to keep it up. Once they realize just how much we're spending on that man's estate, there are going to be issues."

"I know. And I've already got a plan for when that happens," Madara promised.

Izuna perked up at that. "Really? And you haven't shared it with me? You meanie!"

Makodo laughed at her younger nibling's antics and then turned her curiosity onto Madara.

"I'm planning on starting rumors about the Daimyo insisting on us spending that much money because he wants to marry one of his daughters off to him. If the Ishaan says yes, the estate will already befit a princess. If he refuses, then the Daimyo still has a leg up on the other countries."

His brother and aunt both stared at him, flabbergasted.

"And does he want to marry the man into his family?" Makodo queried.

Madara shrugged. "I haven't the faintest idea. But if I were him, I'd want to lock him down. Mito already admitted to Whirlpool trying it with the second prince and princess. And then there was that whole cupboard story about the court ladies trying to pawn their daughters off on him."

This time, it was Izuna who couldn't help himself, somehow forgetting that particular conversation from the dinner. "Prince?"

Madara nodded. "So, I'd be surprised if the other countries haven't tried the same tactic if he were open to both sexes. I know the Wind Daimyo only has the three sons."

"Oh dear. That poor man," their aunt muttered before she rallied, an impish look in her eyes. "At least our dear Mada-chan doesn't have that problem. He only has to deal with pining from afar."

"Auntie!" Madara screeched, even as Izuna cackled in glee.

Makodo sniffed. "I don't know why you just don't sit Lady Senju down and grill her about that cousin of hers."

"Why would I ask her about Tobirama?!"

"Because you're going to need all the help you can get in courting that poor boy when we finally find him and drag him home. Better to be overprepared than under, I say. "

"I do not have a crush on Tobirama!" Madara's hair bristled wildly as he puffed up and blushed a deep red in mortification. "I do not want to court Hashirama's baby brother!!!"

The Uchiha members remaining in the area all stopped at his enraged shrieking and turned to look at the scene he was making. Of them, the ones that weren't shaking their heads in exasperation were rolling their eyes. That just set Izuna off even further, and his pain-in-the-ass little brother doubled over with laughter. After a particularly close by kunoichi audibly 'tisked' and mumbled about denial, the clan heir began to cry.

Madara howled. In a lightning-fast movement, he grabbed Izuna up. He flung him over his shoulder and bounded up onto a roof, heading to the great house and the pond there. Izuna, knowing what Madara intended, yowled and started to writhe in his hold.

"No! No, let me down!"

"Fuck you!" Madara bellowed. "This is your fault!"

"I'm not the one with the crush, you asshole!"

"Stop saying that!"

Everyone in the square watched them go with various expressions of boredom or incredulity. A few turned to look at Makodo watching her great-nephews' departing backs in disappointment. She shook her head and rested her hands on her hips. Hikaku sidled up next to her.

"That boy," she griped. "We're going to end up having to do all the work for him at this rate."

"Um... Aunt Makodo?" Hikaku raised a finger in the air. "Maybe Madara is telling the truth? He seems pretty adamant."

Makodo turned her disappointment onto him even as several women clucked in frustration. "I've known that cousin of yours since he was in his mother's belly. It's when he wants something badly that he pretends he doesn't. And he's crying foul left, right, and center."

"Poor Lord Madara," another woman commiserated. "He said he agreed to the repatriation notice for Lady Senju, but that's just because he feels like it's a betrayal admitting otherwise."

A third kinswoman nodded along with her friend. "I know the Ghost was the enemy and all, but that was years ago. Besides, anyone with half a brain can add two and two together and get four."

"Um..." Hikaku stared at his aunt and the two other women.

The second chimed in excitedly. "Exactly! If only half of those stories are real, he wasn't even trying all that hard. Besides, it was war. We were trying to kill them just as much."

"Fine points," Makodo praised them. "Exactly, my thoughts as well. I'll admit to wanting Lord Tobirama's head on a platter, but that was before I learned so much about him. A man delighting in war being so protective of children? Impossible!"

"I know! And that story about him saving that student of his? Kouka?"

"Such an impressive feat. Oh, I wish I were there to see that, a blood-dragon!"

"It would have gone so nicely with Lord Madara's fire hawk tonight. Don't you think?"

That set the two off, and their excitement drew in a half dozen other Uchiha, male and female alike.

"I can't say I wouldn't have let him go after that," a man admitted. "Not because he ripped their blood out, mind you, but because bloodline hunters are worse than scum. He did us all a favor."

"But imagine it!" A teen, barely old enough to be partaking in this conversation, sighed dreamily. She clasped her hands in front of her and bit her lip. "I bet he looked so cool."

Everyone nodded at that, even Hikaku, picturing the sight of the Ghost standing amid a magnificent dragon, red like the Uchiha fan. It coiled about him as he watched with a dispassionate gaze, tearing bloodline thieves apart without mercy. As talented at controlling water as he was, not a single drop of blood would land on him. His armour and fur ruff would be pristine, his pale face its usual stoic expression.

Several of the women and a couple of the men sighed at the image.

"That's all well and good-" Hikaku started after he shook himself from that imagery, "but even if Madara did have feelings for Lord Tobirama, it's pointless. No one knows where he is. Besides, there's no telling if he'd even agree to come to Konoha if we did find him."

Makodo nodded, face grave but eyes glittering. "I think we'll have more opportunities to look for him once the Ishaan arrives. And if we can convince him to come and oversee this man's work? If Lord Tobirama invested years into drafting plans for the village, I think he'd feel at least a little proprietary about some stranger coming in and mucking with it.

"And if we can get him here, well..." She grinned evilly. "Who would blame us for assuming he'd rather stay with his old enemies than that brother and those elders of his?"

"Ohh, smart!" That was the first woman who joined the conversation. She smacked her fist into her other hand. "And if the only house with space that befits his station as former clan heir is Lord Madara's home?"

The females in the group all tittered at that.

"Uh..." Hikaku felt sweat form on the back of his neck. "What if he refuses to come?"

One of the men shrugged. "Knock him out. He wakes up in one of Lord Madara's bedrooms anyway. We'd have until he gets his feet under him and he's halfway to the village gates to talk him around."

"Oh god."

Chapter Text

The contract signing had gone off without a hitch. They had temporarily relocated most of the tables from the pavilion and used the remaining ones as a makeshift stage for the event. The village had eagerly crowded around to witness Reiko and Hashirama inscribe their names on each of the three identical scrolls. As she was invested with the Daimyo's authority, her signature bound Konoha to the terms and conditions set forth in the talks. It also absorbed them into the Daimyo's patronage agreement, which meant that they acted as an extension of the man. Any breach of contract on their part would ultimately fall on him to bear the brunt of the backlash. They were the first outside the various Daimyos' direct authority to employ the Ishaan, and the other nations would be watching.

After the brief ceremony, they'd had dinner. It followed the same pattern as the two nights previous, except for the additional meal stations set up outside around the edges of the field. Villagers who would usually be unable to attend otherwise lined up and happily grabbed a plate or bowl of food. After, they migrated toward the center of the clearing so they could chat while they ate. Everyone, including the representatives, seemed to enjoy the light and joyful atmosphere.

The next day, shortly after midmorning, the conclave rolled out. Lady Sada's carriage remained behind, moved to the Uchiha compound with her belongings. The politicians, their servants and guards, and the hired shinobi all trooped out the gate in the same orderly fashion that they'd arrived in. The only exception to that, beyond Lady Sada, was her husband.

As the group left, Yoko Kawakami remained behind at the house to say his farewells to his spouse. He held her hand and studied her carefully as they spoke. Madara had seen the same thing with his clan, so he knew the minister was trying to memorize his wife's face. It would be the last image he'd have of her for almost three weeks, and that was if he wasn't called away from the Capitol before she arrived home.

"I'll be fine, Yoko," she chided gently, yet with a firm tilt to her words. "You can't stay here with me. His Lordship needs you back."

"I know," Kawakami sighed. "It's just, this was the first time in months we've had so much uninterrupted time together. I've become spoiled for your company."

Her smile brightened, softening her graceful features even further. "Then, maybe this will prompt you to ask the Daimyo for time away, finally? You have underministers for a reason. And you know Lady Reiko offered to step in for you if necessary."

He huffed good-naturedly. "And not have a job to come back to?"

"Shush, you." Sada pushed at Kawakami's shoulder playfully. "You know as well as I do that she's been horribly bored. A little exercise won't hurt. Besides, you were complaining that you didn't feel comfortable leaving anyone else in charge. Maybe she could help whip your people into shape for you?"

"Maybe," he acknowledged grudgingly.

The woman chuckled and then leaned up to press a soft kiss to the corner of her husband's mouth. "Go on, Yoko. I don't want you riding unattended because the convoy got too far ahead."

"Walk me to the gate?"

She sighed. "That will put you further behind."

Madara, who had been lingering a respectful distance away, stepped up to the couple. They turned their attention to him, and he nodded respectfully at the older man.

"Feel free to take the time to the gate, Lord Kawakami. We can always spare a few of our people as an escort. That way, you're not unguarded before you meet up with your party."

Yoko smiled gratefully at Madara and then looked back at his wife. He grinned playfully. "See? Problem solved."

Sada sighed again, this time tolerantly, and squeezed her husband's hand. "Fine, you silly fool. Grab your horse."

The minister chuckled and moved over to untie this steed's reins from the post nearby. The straps in one appendage and his wife's hand in the other, he slowly ambled along the streets to Konoha's gate. Madara followed along behind. When they'd gotten close to their destination, the Uchiha flagged a half-dozen various ninja down and quietly communicated the needed escort request. The lone Inuzuka in the group nodded, volunteering to take point on the assignment, and the others fell in line easily enough.

Just outside the village's walls, Kawakami silently kissed his wife goodbye and mounted his horse with practiced ease. After he'd situated himself and settled into the saddle, he glanced down at Sada once more before he swung his gaze onto Madara.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Madara."

"It's nothing," Madara replied.

The minister smiled at that before his expression hardened slightly. There was a somberness around him just then, a shadow lurking behind his eyes. The fire user met the man's stare head-on, knowing the other wasn't finished speaking.

"Please take care of my wife. She's capable of looking after herself, but I worry with so much distance between us."

The clan leader dipped his head in affirmation. "You have my word that she'll be an honored guest in my home and respected by all in the village. No harm will come to her, Lord Kawakami."

With a final glance down at his spouse, the Foreign Affairs Minister turned his horse and nudged it forward down the road. The Konoha shinobi walked alongside and behind the man as they ambled away from the village. When they were far off, the minister prodded the stallion's sides with his legs. Soon, he was at a quick trot, and the ninja a steady jog.

Sada watched her husband's retreating figure until it was a speck in the distance, and then turned her head to smile up at Madara. "Shall we go, Lord Madara?"

Madara hummed and motioned back to the gate. Together, they reentered Konoha and began the long, idle walk to his home. As they moved further into the populated shopping district, more and more people called out to them with a smile and a wave, or by name. Sada smiled politely whenever it happened and slipped her hand onto the crook of Madara's bicep.

"I do hope this works out," she confessed quietly. "This is such a lovely place."

Heart pounding in his chest, the Uchiha nodded. "It's home."

She glanced at him from under her black eyelashes. "You seem very happy."

He stumbled slightly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Sada hummed, her gaze staring forward as she selected her words carefully. "Most don't realize it, but shinobi and geisha have a lot in common. True, we can't perform amazing feats like you, but we both primarily work from the shadows. Our strength is manipulation. Work around the client and make them feel like they are in charge. Neither a geisha nor a shinobi gets very far in their career if they can't read people. Do you agree?"

"An apt observation. Yes, you're right. Most find their strength in obscurity. And the ones who can't read a room don't last long in the field."

"I remember you and your father, Lord Madara." Sada smiled at a passing mother and child before continuing. "The two of you were so similar in so many ways, but the differences between you were where it truly mattered. You were no more than a boy, but there was something in you dying to burst free. I could see how discontent you were in being limited by your pending responsibilities. So could your father."

The mention of Tajima made Madara's throat close up. He'd lost his father to a wasting disease when he was nineteen, barely into his adulthood. Tajima hadn't been the best father or clan leader, but he'd done what he thought was right and needed. He tried his best to soften and ease the transition, seeming to intuit somehow that Madara wanted to do things differently, but was too afraid to do so without his blessing. His death had left a surprisingly deep void in Madara.

"I think that's why he brought you to the Capitol, why he hired a geisha. Even a few minutes into our meeting, I could tell that you were chafing under obligation. You reminded me of a bird, flitting around on the ground and doing its best not to look up at the sky."

He turned that comparison over in his mind and found it apt.

"I wanted to be doing," he confessed.

Sada chuckled. "Yes, shinobi and geisha are similar in that as well. Only a few rise to the lofty heights that allow freedom. But even that comes with chains."

"A clan leader's word is law, but they are bound to their clan."

"An okasan runs her own business, bows to no man, but is responsible for her daughters' livelihood."

They walked in silence for a bit after that, each content to know the other understood.

"Your father was steady, solid. As insulting as it may be to an Uchiha, he was an old oak tree."

That got a sharp bark of laughter out of Madara, and he shook his head at the reaction that being compared to the Senju's most significant symbol would have garnered. "Yeah, Dad would be annoyed by that description."

The woman beside him smiled. "He'd been a client on and off since I was a maiko in training. As I got to know him, I began to enjoy his random trips. There was something honest about him, even as he kept himself contained behind his mask. He even helped me refine my facade."

"I didn't know that," Madara murmured.

"That he was a returning client?"

He nodded, and Sada hummed. "I'm not surprised. Geishas are generally off limits, but some don't respect that line. Most wealthy ninja who patronize a specific geisha tend to keep it quiet to prevent them from being targeted."

That explanation was loaded, and Madara slid his eyes over to the woman. "I take it you have first-hand experience with that?"

While she didn't immediately say anything, the way her lips thinned and her eyes turned flinty spoke volumes. Lady Sada casually inspected the area, eyeing the stalls and carts and observing the people bustling about. After they stepped into a natural pocket where there was a gap in stores and customers and where they had breathing space and a little more privacy, she resumed the conversation.

"I was newly graduated into a full geisha when a request was put in for me. They were new to my okiya, but not to the district. Another tea house vouched for him, so my Okasan agreed."

Her fingers tightened where they rested on Madara's arm, and she leaned closer to him as they walked.

"You must not tell, Madara-sama. Not anyone," she ordered. After he agreed, she blew out a breath. When she spoke next, it was full of tension and remembered fear. "That is how I met Butsuma Senju."

Immediately, Madara tensed. He pulled to a stop and whirled around to face Sada fully. His dark eyes narrowed, and he bit back a growl.

"What did he do?" he demanded.

"Only words," she assuaged. "But words were enough."

"What did he do, Lady Sada?"

She exhaled shakily and then pulled gently at his arm to restart their stroll. Madara allowed it, seeing the distress that was hovering beneath her calm demeanor. If she wanted to talk while they walked, he wouldn't argue.

"He was polite enough," she admitted. "But there was something mean about him nonetheless. Stepping into the room, seeing him sitting there at the table, sipping tea... he reminded me of a rabid dog. I remember how he looked at me, as if he were trying to decide if it was worth slipping his leash to bite me."

She faltered at the memory, and Madara placed his free hand over hers and squeezed. Sada must have found comfort in that, because she rallied herself. Tipping her chin up slightly, she kept her steps even and slow.

"He didn't want to talk. Not right away. He wanted me to dance first. I went through my entire repertoire, even cobbled a couple together when that wasn't enough. He then had me sing. Song after song until I was hoarse. I shouldn't have allowed him to order me around like that, but..."

She exhaled shakily, and Madara moved a little closer to her. He circulated his chakra a bit closer to his skin, an attempt to provide the woman some much-needed warmth. She didn't finish the story, but he wasn't going to push her. While he was dying to hear more about what type of monster the prior Senju leader was from someone other than the man's own family, he wasn't going to insist.

It was only after they breached the Uchiha walls that Lady Sada shook off the anxiety. Instead of heading straight to the great house, she nudged him left. They walked down the side street that led to the empty lot where the Ishaan's estate would be built. Once there, she continued to explore the area more deeply. Together, they carefully circumvented some of the larger rocks until she chose a boulder to perch on, facing the cliff wall and back towards the street and houses. Madara stood beside her, quietly keeping her company while she thought things through.

"I was scared," Sada whispered, as if afraid for someone to overhear them. "He scared me. Terribly. He smiled, but there was an emptiness to it. His eyes were flat, and no matter how he tried, he couldn't hide the hardness in them. I was afraid of what he would do if I disobeyed. So he said 'another dance' and I danced. He said 'sing' and I sang. I sang until my voice gave out.

"Only then did he let me sit and drink. I half-thought he had poisoned the tea. I didn't want to drink, but I was so parched by then. I..." She looked up at him, and he could see how hard it was for her to keep the fear from twisting her expression. "He told me a story."

Madara wanted to stop her, insist that she didn't need to put herself through this. The woman had been nothing but kind, both now and when he was a child. It wasn't right that she had to dredge something so traumatic up over a decade after it happened. But Madara didn't. He knew that, sometimes, the best thing to do was to lance the wound. If Sada was insistent on confiding in him about this, he wouldn't insult her by suggesting she couldn't handle it.

Sada lowered her gaze to his shirt, uncomfortable with meeting his eyes but not wanting to look away from her companion.

"When he was a boy, he had a brother and a cat. He loved the cat, but his brother was jealous. One day, when he was out on a mission, his brother killed the cat and left it on his bed to find when he came home. After, every pet he'd find, his brother would kill. When he finally asked his brother why, his brother said that he simply didn't want him to have anything nice."

She turned her head forward, her gaze haunted. "I knew... I knew there was no brother, no cat. But if there had been, it would have been the brother with the beloved pet, not Butsuma. The way he looked at me when he was telling that story...

"Luckily, someone realized that something was wrong and interrupted. He smiled and joked, apologizing for taking up all my time. But... as he left... I still remember it. He smiled. He smiled and said how wonderful it was that even though the Senju and Uchiha were enemies, they could still be brothers in some way. That, after meeting me, he could understand why Lord Uchiha valued me so."

Sada shuddered and wrapped her arms about herself to ward off the chill. Madara shrugged out of his jacket and laid it over her shoulders, hoping it would give her comfort. He knew that he'd want reassurance after reliving a nightmare like that.

"He was evil, Madara-sama." He could barely hear, what with how quiet that confession was. Sada rucked the jacket up some and pulled it tight around her. "I don't know how other people didn't see it, but he was evil."

"What happened after," he whispered. "Did he come back?"

"He tried, but he was turned away."

"I can't imagine him respecting your Okasan."

Sada pressed her lips together unhappily. "He didn't. Shortly after, she had a nasty fall in the streets as she escorted a new girl to school. Nothing was proven, but Mother swore it was done on purpose. Her leg had been broken in two places."

The Uchiha winced. As an active geisha, that would have been a death sentence to her career. However, to a retired one who had her own geisha house to fall back on, it was just a massive inconvenience. Still, targeting a leg was meant to send a clear message.

"I had a danna at the time who was highly placed in the government. His wife and I were on good terms, and we would meet occasionally. I confided in her about the visit and my suspicions about Mother's accident. She ordered her husband home immediately and had me tell him about Butsuma. After that, to my knowledge, he never stepped foot in any of the geisha districts again. Nor did Mother or any geisha suffer any further accidents."

"I'm sorry," he said after a half-minute of silence.

Sada nodded. "Thank you, but you don't need to apologize for that man. Besides, he's dead and gone."

"He's still causing trouble, though," Madara huffed nastily.

"Horrible man," she agreed. "I was livid when I heard the rumors. So was Yoko."

She looked up at him at that. "He gets frustrated, angry, even, but it's quite challenging to make him lose his temper. I've never seen him so furious as when he came home after the Daimyo informed them of the investigation result. He shattered an entire tea set and then took his sword to his old practice dummy. I hadn't heard language like that since my early days as a maiko."

"To be honest, I'm surprised a premier minister cared that much," he admitted.

"Normally, I would be as well. But Yoko prides himself on his honor and fairness. He's a good man at the heart of things. That's why I married him."

"I was wondering that. Geishas don't normally marry their danna."

That garnered a chuckle from the woman, and she shook her head in response. "No. Usually, if we reach that level in our career, we choose to remain as we are. Why give up our freedom for husbands?"

"Why did you decide to marry him then? If I may ask."

She stared into the distance, the fright from earlier fading entirely as she contemplated her husband. "First off, he wasn't my danna. Yoko was my danna's junior. He brought Yoko to a few of the events. This was after Butsuma. I think... I think he wanted Yoko to take over for him. He was getting old, you see, and in that situation, the best danna try to find at least short-term replacements."

"Yoko hired two of us for an extended job outside the country. It required several weeks of travel there and back. During that time, we got to know each other. By the time we returned, I knew I was in love." Her smile gentled. "What truly won me over was his refusal to propose. When I asked why, Yoko told me that he wouldn't be the reason I cut my wings."

"Still, marriage? That's a lot to give up. Why not just take him as a danna?"

"Because geisha hold themselves apart from their danna. They see other clients, live separate lives, and are content with friendship. I thought of Yoko and wanted more. My Okasan cornered me one day and made me talk it out. In the end, I realized I'd be happier married, even if that meant I could no longer be a geisha."

"Do you regret it?" Madara couldn't bring himself to keep the question locked up inside.

Sada shrugged, the jacket fluttering a little at the movement. "Sometimes. Especially when Yoko is away on extended trips where I can't go. But, when that happens, I have the court ladies and the geisha district. I regularly patronize my younger sisters, both for the gossip and to help them refine their acts. I also occasionally teach at the dance school."

"No children?"

"No," she denied with a laugh. "Yoko has two children from his previous marriage. I don't want children myself, and he respects that."

They lapsed into silence after that, both studying the area around them without anything better to do.

"Can you really move all these rocks by yourselves?" she asked him at length.

Madara nodded. He pointed to the biggest stones, ones large enough that you had to clamber up to reach the top. "Those are too big to move as is, so we'll either have to break them up with explosive seals, or Izuna or I will need to use Susanoo to lift them."

"Sasanoo?"

"It's a special ability that my brother and I can use. It's a giant chakra skeleton. We can use it to fight, but in this case, it would be strong enough to move the really big rocks."

Sada was a little wide-eyed at that explanation. "I've never heard about your clan being able to do that!"

He chuckled good-naturedly, relieved that she was surprised and not uneasy. "It's extremely rare and complicated to acquire. There have been fewer than two dozen Uchiha in recorded history who have achieved it. And we don't use it since it's overkill."

"Not even with the Senju?"

"No," he denied immediately. "If we used it on the battlefield, there was a high likelihood of killing our own people. And if we used it outside skirmishes, it would have been nothing but a dishonorable slaughter. I refused to murder innocent women and children."

"That sounded as if you had practice saying that."

Madara sighed heavily and ran a gloved hand through his hair. "I did. When I acquired the ability, the elders immediately tried to order me to destroy the Senju compound. I refused. Father was away on a mission at the time, so they threw me in prison until he returned."

"What happened?"

"Father got out a whip and threatened to flog the next elder that dared to make such a demand again."

"Good." There was vicious satisfaction in her voice, and it made Madara's lips twitch.

"They found out he meant it a year later when Izuna got it, too. He hated the Senju, so they thought he'd agree. He almost did, until he remembered how angry Dad and I were. He informed our father, and Dad pulled those two elders out of their homes and whipped them in front of the entire clan. One died from their injuries, and the other stepped down from the council."

"So he had his lines?"

"Yes. They didn't make much sense to me at the time, and only slightly more now, but Dad had his lines that he wouldn't cross."

"So, the big ones you'll either blow up or shift with your skeleton. What about the others? Can't you use your abilities?"

"There aren't a lot of us here in the village with Earth release. Most of us can perform low to mid-level earth jutsus, but that's mainly to manipulate the ground, rather than the rocks. Once the boulders are out of the way, we can use those jutsus to level the ground, but most of the initial work will have to be done by hand."

"What will you do with it all once it's removed?"

"Repurpose it, mainly. If not for the estate, then future buildings for the clan or village. I imagine that the estate will need foundation stones and walkways. A showpiece like this? There's got to be plenty of gardens and decorations."

"Hmm," she nodded in agreement. "Definitely."

He side-eyed her. "Any ideas about what to expect on that front?"

Lady Sada smirked at that. "And ruin your fun?"

It was a reference to the first day of the talks, when the two of them were bent over a teapot and laughing. The looks on Shikamoto and Haruko's faces as they read the Ishaan's contract flashed through his memory, and the shinobi lord chuckled.

"Oh, come now, Lady Sada. Just a little hint?"

"Fine! You've worn me down." She stood, and the younger man moved forward to grasp her elbow so she wouldn't slip on the small rocks and pebbles. "There will be gardens and probably a pond or two. If Ishaan gets his way, most of that will be limited to the front and the guest quadrant of the compound."

"Not one for show, then?"

She snorted and then quickly covered her mouth at the noise. She met his amused gaze with an aghast expression, which made him chuckle again. Sada frowned playfully and made a half-hearted swipe at him that he dodged. She wrinkled her nose at that before she brushed off her kimono and started toward the great house. The clan leader fell into step with her as they picked their way out of the rock field.

"To answer your question," she spoke when they were finally on a well-walked path again. "If you asked him, he'd say he's the least showy person there is."

"And would that be false modesty?"

The woman giggled. "No. He believes that wholeheartedly."

"I'm sensing a 'but', though."

"Oh, he's a regular peacock," she sniggered. "But not in the flashy sense. He can't help it, you see. People naturally notice him. And the individuals he travels with don't help much, either."

"What does that mean?"

She hummed, thinking her words over. "Women, Lord Uchiha. Most of the people he has with him are women, and attractive ones at that."

"Oh, Hashirama is going to have a field day with that," he groaned.

That made Sada laugh, peals of bright and cheerful laughter escaping her as she threw her head back. At the noise, several of his clan members in the area all began to stare at them. He couldn't fault them, either. Sada had a wonderful laugh when she wasn't trying to lock it away behind masks. Finally, as they were almost to his house, Sada gathered her composure and patted her cheeks in an effort to remain calm. Her eyes, though, were sparkling with mirth. Madara climbed the steps to the front door and held it open for his guest.

"A matchmaker, then?" she asked him as she glided past him into the house.

The Uchiha snorted at that. "Hashirama wants everyone to find love. He only stopped pestering Izuna because he kept shrieking like a tea kettle, and me because I threatened him with Mito."

"Smart," she murmured.

"So he's not involved with the plethora of women in his harem?"

That had Sada cackling before she could stop herself. "Harem!"

They traversed the ground floor until they reached the formal dining room. He motioned for Sada to sit at the table while he went to fetch a tea set. When the pot was filled and the cups warmed, he brought the entire thing out and set it in front of her.

"Harem," she giggled again. Sada wiped at her eyes and blew out a breath. "No. And if you use that word, Lord Madara, you're likely to be punted through a wall."

"Protective, is he?"

"Yes. However, he wouldn't be the one doing said punting. He has a type, you see. Not a romantic one, per se, but in general." Long, slender hands reached out to lift the steaming pot and add tea leaves. With the lid replaced, Sada rested her appendages on the wooden surface. "The people Ishaan gathers around himself are all capable of taking care of themselves. They're intelligent and resourceful. More than that, they refuse to bow without reason.

"There have been a couple of times when he stayed in the castle for an extended period. He brought his household with him. A few lower court officials and even a castle attendant tried to take advantage. Since he was almost always in conference with someone or other, his household was left unattended. And since, as I stated, his household tends to be attractive women..."

A sneer twisted Madara's lips, and he scoffed. "That obviously meant they were fair game."

A darkly amused glint reflected at him from the woman. "Exactly. Well, long story short, they all quickly found out why it was that Ishaan hadn't even considered the notion that they were at risk."

"What happened?" he badgered eagerly.

"One official got knocked across the room, another two into rose bushes, and another into a pond. The attendant had his hand shattered and his... erm... manhood crushed."

"... Crushed?!" he wheezed.

"Just a little! And it wasn't like he didn't deserve it."

"That's a lot more than just a rose bush!"

"Well, he tried to do a lot more!" Sada argued. "And besides, the Daimyo's punishment would have been much, much worse. The officials were all suspended, as they could only do so much in the open. The attendant was fired and thrown out of the castle. He's not allowed back into any personal service for the rest of his life."

"Good," Madara hissed.

The former geisha paused. "You seem awfully pleased by that."

"I am," he affirmed. "My clan has no tolerance for such things. At all."

"Why?" She jumped to clarify when she realized how that could have sounded. "I'm not doubting you! You merely seem very adamant."

Madara sighed wearily and sat back in his seat. "Before the village, one of the biggest reasons we didn't have many active kunoichi running missions was bloodline thieves. They'd specifically target female Uchiha for capture."

Sada scowled. "To breed them."

He nodded, equally as upset at the notion. "It was standard practice when surrounded by thieves to blind and then kill yourself. However, the unfortunate but ugly fact of life is that while men could stop at a knife through the throat, women were taught the best jutsus for self-immolation before they were allowed out on missions."

"Self-immo... They... they set themselves on fire?" It was a strangled garble of words that Madara almost didn't understand.

He nodded in response. "Ask any Uchiha kunoichi, and they'd probably tell you something about dying with their dignity intact. That policy was actually set down by one of the early clan leaders' wives, who was an active-duty shinobi herself."

"That's horrible!"

"Which is why the village is so important. The thieves who target the Uchiha have dwindled as they know the other clans will come to our defense. It's not worth the energy and risk."

"That's... that's..." Sada's mouth opened and closed several times, the woman unable to find the words to express her outrage. "That's not acceptable!"

"It's gotten better," he tried to calm her down.

However, that was the wrong thing to say because she bristled and snarled at him. "No one deserves that! Why haven't you informed the Daimyo of this?"

"We tried." Madara quickly continued when the woman turned an enraged glare onto him. "Long ago, several generations back."

"And nothing was done?"

"The Daimyo passed a law against slavery, but that didn't help much."

"You haven't brought this forward since then?

The shinobi shook his head. "We all learned to simply handle it the best we could ourselves."

That made the woman still. "'We all'? Are you saying this goes further than the Uchiha?"

"Well," he hedged. "Well, yes. All the major clans are targets to one degree or another. The Uchiha and the Hyuuga are the two most targeted clans because of our dojutsu."

It took some effort for Lady Sada to calm down. Eventually, she was able to push the anger down and pull up a pleasant, if not strained, smile. She reached forward and poured them both cups of tea, her fingers trembling slightly with concealed distress.

"Putting that topic behind us," she said with forced placidity. "Back to the original question... Ishaan acknowledges the necessity of showmanship and image. However, when he is able, he prefers simple things—quality over quantity. He'd rather a home of modest design than a grand, showy thing filled to the brim with treasure. The same applies to smaller things as well. Dishes, linens, furniture, art... everyday items should be of excellent grade and sturdy. If it would break in your hand, he wouldn't want it in his."

Madara turned that over in his mind for a bit. "So, if we're trying to please him as well as the Daimyo, we'd have to buy two of everything."

"Not to that extreme, but yes." She motioned to the tea set. "Something like this would probably require multiple versions. One for his household, another for visitors, another for ordinary guests, and yet another for special guests. However, a greater number of pieces would be needed for the everyday set since he would include his guards in that. The same logic should be used for dishware. Multiple sets of varying quality, but fewer pieces, the higher the quality."

A headache was starting to form as he ran rough estimates through his head and began to see the totals climb higher and higher.

He rubbed at his right eyebrow, frustrated. "This is going to be so expensive. The rush orders alone."

"Rush orders," she inquired curiously.

"For custom pieces with his mon. It can take up to half a year to produce a full set of formal dinnerware, and that's just the dishes. A complete tableware set can take over a year to produce. And if we need at least three sets of tableware?"

"Hmm, I see your concern." Sada sipped at her tea thoughtfully. She finished that glass and refilled it before she nodded to herself. "There are some things that can be done."

"Tell me, Lady. Please. Any advice you can provide, I'll gladly accept."

"Later," she put him off. "I'm thinking we should have lunch and then decide on the committees needed to prepare for Ishaan's arrival."

"Committees?" There was faint dread lurking in his tone, and the woman smiled pleasantly at it.

"You'll need one for each of the major categories: linens, tableware, furniture, and other miscellaneous. Additionally, it wouldn't hurt to establish a building project committee now, while there is no one from the Capitol to interfere with it. If you've already decided on the major building panel, then you can easily create subcommittees later as needed and assign someone from the main group to lead them."

"Good idea. Still, an entire group for linens?"

She smiled at him patronizingly. "Lord Madara, you may think it's a simple task, but ask any of your kinswomen who run their households. They will probably want to smack you."

Madara felt his jaw drop open a little at that, but he quickly snapped it shut. "I'll take your word for it."

"Indeed. Even a modest household has major investment costs. Just going by numbers..." She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a notebook and a pencil. Sada flipped to the first clean page and began to narrate as she wrote. "Say you have a dozen members in the main household. Each requires, at a minimum, two sets of sheets, a quilt, a comforter, pillows, and pillow cases. You also need a set of towels for each person. All of this must be of at least mid-level quality. Say that comes out to be... Hmm..."

She worked through the math and then underlined the total when finished. "₹10,200."

"Ten thousand..." Madara trailed off, wide-eyed.

"Ryo, yes."

"Over ten thousand ryo for twelve people?"

She kept her gaze locked with his. "That's per person. So, for the household, that's ₹122,400."

"And that's only the bedrooms?"

"Yes." Sada nodded and motioned to the notebook. "You can see how it can add up. And with an extended household that large and an estate this big, can you begin to imagine how much work will be required to plan for everything? You must purchase it, monogram it, and keep track of it so nothing goes missing. The items must be properly cleaned and maintained until he arrives. One of the first things he'll have to do, before meeting with any of you officially, is to review everything and give his approval. That includes all the items for the guards and servants. That's hours of work."

Madara gaped. "Surely his servants can do that?"

"Normally, they would, but you've forgotten that the servants coming are unknown to him. They aren't familiar with his preferences, and he's not sure of their attention to detail."

"Ugh, how bothersome," he complained, stealing the Nara's favorite insult.

His guest chuckled good-naturedly. "Indeed. You can see why I suggested committees?"

"Hn. Yes, if only to spread the chaos around evenly."

"So, lunch, and then initial planning?"

"Sounds good. Would you like something here or at a restaurant?"

She brightened. "I'd love to eat out. Yoko prefers to eat in, what with all the catering that he usually partakes in."

"I aim to please!" He stood from his seat and helped pull her chair out. "What would you like?"

"Well, we had sushi on our first day here. Much less of a mess."

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "I'm sensing a 'but'."

She sighed wistfully. "I kept passing the lovely-looking little ramen shop off the main road."

That made the man bark. "Oh, oh, you'll get along fine with Mito. That's her favorite place. She visits three times a week, usually. They have to put more on when she shows up, otherwise there'll be nothing left for other customers."

The Lady grinned at that. "Then, perhaps, we can invite her to join us? We can talk business some afterwards. I'm thinking it would be best to make plans at your administrative tower. That meeting room was lovely."

"Ah, that was the Hokage's office. We didn't have a space big enough, so he volunteered his office for the week."

"Ah... what about the pavilion then? That hasn't come down yet, has it?"

He shook his head. "No. Hashirama wanted to keep that. We'd need to move it, though. That's a dedicated training field."

She seemed to contemplate that briefly. "What about we meet in a smaller conference room today, decide where to move the pavilion, and see if it can be done relatively easily. If so, then we have larger meetings there?"

"That's not a bad idea," Madara granted. "He can probably make the damn thing grow legs and walk it where it needs to go."

"... I'm not sure how to respond to that."

"I tend to do my best to ignore the crazy things he can do. It's what's best for my sanity."

Sada chuckled before she looped her arm in his as they headed for the door at a leisurely pace. "Should we stop by the Hokage's home?"

He spared a brief thought to that and then nodded. "It probably wouldn't hurt for you to be seen at both the Uchiha and the Senju compounds."

"Alright. Lead on, Lord Madara."

The fire user opened the door for her once again, and as she passed through the threshold, he surprised her with a "You can call me Madara, if you'd like."

"Madara-san, only if you call me Sada-nee-san."

Madara sputtered. "I can't do that! You're a minister's wife!"

"I met you before I did Yoko. And as long as he's not here, I'm not going to feed into that stuffiness. As long as everyone is respectful when they need to be, I don't see the issue with you calling me 'big sister'."

"It isn't proper!"

"Oh, hush. As the wife of Fire's premier diplomat, I'm telling you to call me nee-san."

"Lady Sa-" He began, but was cut off when Sada jabbed him in the cheek.

"Nee-san, Lord Madara. Say it with me... Onee-san."

"Stop that!"

"Oooooneeeeee-saaaaaannnnnnn."

"Fine! Fine! Just stop poking me."

Chapter Text

Chapter 25

Luck was on their side, and Mito was home when they went calling. She and Hashirama were about to start lunch preparations when Sada and Madara arrived. Mito brightened at the offer of ramen, but Hashirama groaned.

"Again?" he whined.

"You can always stay behind, Husband," she threatened.

Hashirama immediately shook his head and held his hands up in surrender. "No! I mean, ramen's great! Let's have it again for the fourth time this week!"

As it was only Tuesday, Madara sweatdropped at that pronouncement.

"Wonderful!" Sada gushed. "I haven't had ramen in years! The court is too uptight to be seen slurping noodles."

That made Mito laugh a little. "Honestly! There's no taste in good food outside Whirlpool. Really, why would ramen be uncouth for royals and nobles?"

"It is a little loud and messy, dear," Sada admitted.

"Pff. Please," the redhead scoffed. "That's only because they haven't been properly trained."

"I'm sorry," Madara cut in. "Are you saying that Whirlpool trains their royalty on how to eat ramen effectively?"

Mito rolled her eyes. "No."

The fire user sighed in relief, but immediately regretted it when the terror of a woman continued.

"They train all shinobi. It only makes sense to know how to eat silently on the run."

Madara and Hashirama both knew they should have stopped being shocked by the Uzumaki's love of the noodle broth by now. However, snippets like this continued to surprise them. Sada, on the other hand, was delighted by the notion.

"Ingenious!"

The princess nodded, agreeing with the compliment. "Yes. That training has saved many a young shinobi off island."

The quartet left the Hokage's house and ambled through the village to Sapporo's. Once there, it only took one glimpse of Mito ducking under the fabric divider for the chef to call out to her husband in the back to make more noodles. Sada, just outside and a step behind the princess and her husband, covered her tiny grin with a dainty hand. Madara lifted the curtain for her so she wouldn't have to duck, and Sada nodded in thanks to him.

"Lord Uchiha," the female owner greeted him when he entered. "And Lady Kawakami."

"Lady Sada is fine," she assured the chef.

The chef nodded before gesturing to the bar. "Pull up a stool. Botan! Botan, are you starting more noodles?"

"Yes, woman," came a grouchy voice from behind the wall. "And I made the boy go fetch more bones for another batch of broth."

"Good!" She turned back to her customers. "What'll you have?"

Mito didn't bother looking at the menu. "Shio ramen, please."

"Is it a three or four-bowl day?" the chef drawled humorously.

"Let's start with three and go from there," Mito hummed.

Hashirama groaned but collapsed into the seat next to his wife. Sada sat on the other side, and Madara on the opposite end of his friend. The other three patrons placed their more modest orders and watched as the owner assembled them. After the first bowls were placed in front of their respective customer, the cook went back to begin making Mito's second and third bowls.

"Thank you." Sada dipped her head slightly and then carefully dug in.

An hour and seven bowls later, the group left the restaurant and headed off to the tower. Sada had recounted her advice to the couple after she finished her meal. Hashirama was excited about moving the pavilion and happy to get started on that once they picked a spot. He'd also help form and oversee the building committee, as many of the skeletal structures would be formed using his Mokuton. Mito, on the other hand, was more interested in the logistical planning for the Ishaan's household. Not wanting him to be left out, Hashirama suggested that Madara take on the role of project lead. That way, someone in the upper administration had their eyes on all the work happening.

"What about you?" Madara asked Hashirama.

The Hokage shook his head. "I'll be busy enough as is with overseeing clearing the land and then building the estate. Besides, I'm not good at that other stuff. I've got no head for it."

"True," the man's wife agreed. "I don't trust him with the household accounts. He'd buy all the wrong things."

Hashirama huffed at Mito's bland barb but didn't argue, telling Madara all he needed to know about that topic.

"It's a smart thing to do," Sada praised as they reached the tower.

Hashirama led the group into the building and then up the stairs to his office. In the day and a half since they were last there, the room had been restored to its original state. The Hokage's desk was in its customary position in front of the far windows. The small meeting space was reassembled off to the left, and the couch and chairs were up against the right-hand wall. The Senju motioned for them to sit at the table while he went off to a cabinet. He hunted around in it for a minute or two until he found what he was looking for.

With an 'Aha!' he pulled out a large sheaf of rolled-up parchment and turned back to them. "I'm thinking we should actually split the pavilion in two. That would make repositioning it easier."

"Why two?" Madara asked.

Hashirama reached the table and placed his burden down. With a quick twist of his fingers, he untied the twine keeping the papers together. The entire thing unrolled into what appeared to be several large maps of Konoha. He dug through the stack until he pulled out the fourth one and laid that on top. In it, they could see the central part of the village broken down into tiny details. It was outdated, but it was a good visual aid.

"The size," Hashirama murmured as he studied the map. He tapped his finger on the training field, where the pavilion was currently located. "Splitting it up into more than that would make them too small for what you want to use them for."

Mito examined the map as well. "Where would the two go?"

"Well, I was thinking of putting them on either end of the village. Give it a sense of balance. One can go here-" he pulled out another map and pointed to a spot close to the Senju compound. "And the other can go by the Uchiha. Neither would be in the compounds so that the other clans couldn't argue about favoritism."

"Hmm," Sada tipped her head in thought. "What about creating a third, then? To sit close to the tower? That would make it easier to hold a meeting outdoors, instead of having to traipse to either end of the village."

"And it could act as an anchor point," Mito pointed out.

The Hokage nodded excitedly. "Yes! Actually, what about five? That way, we can have one on each side of the village and one at the center."

"And have them themed," Madara suggested. "Five pavilions, five elements. They can each be officially named after an element, so we know which is which."

"I can split the current pavilion into two; one can stay here, and the other can be moved to the location by the Uchiha."

The fire user turned a questioning look to his friend. "Why us first?"

Hashirama waved a hand at him. "To create a ready workspace for the construction team and the architect."

"Smart," he praised.

"And if we use that small empty lot right there at the junction where the new main gate will be, that sets things up nicely in the future."

"I call dibs on fire!" Madara jumped in. "That'll be the Fire Pavilion! No take-backs."

That made Sada and Mito both chuckle, and Hashirama laughed loudly.

"The one by the Senju compound would be Earth, then," the other man proclaimed.

"And the one near the Hyuuga would be Wind, because they're full of hot air." That was Mito, and it made both men gape at her.

"Mito! You can't say things like that."

The princess tipped her chin up. "Not in front of them, I can't."

Sada chimed in before things could escalate. "That leaves you with Water and Lightning, yes?"

"Right." Madara sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest in contemplation. "Which one for the center? There's no clan over on the far side yet."

"Water," Mito decided. "Lightning is powerful, but it's destructive. Water is generally viewed as calm, and it connects all things. Having water as the central pavilion would symbolize a cohesive connection among all five, creating a unified flow."

"Can you move them this afternoon, Lord Hokage?" Sada asked him. "You have a week or so before the architect and his people arrive from the Capitol. It would be best to make the most of that time as much as possible."

Hashirama's exuberance banked down as he pondered that. "You want to use this afternoon to put together rough committees?"

The woman nodded.

He pulled his mouth to the side in thought before he bobbed his head purposefully. "Yes. If Madara and Mito can scout ahead and clear the widest roads of people and obstacles, I can move the Water Pavilion first. You can then use the time we're moving the Fire Pavilion to gather any necessary supplies and other items. The banquet tables are still there, even though the personal tables from in here are already repurposed."

"I'd be happy to do that. As all three of you will be needed to move the structures, would you be able to assign me some help?"

Mito stood from her chair, brushing small wrinkles from her dress as she did so. She looked between the men. "You two start planning a route for each pavilion. I'll go grab some people to help with clearing the way and also to assist Lady Sada."

With that, the Uzumaki swept from the room, leaving the three remaining occupants to pore over the various maps of the village. Madara and Hashirama argued over the best location for the Water Pavilion. The center of the village was already well developed, with few open spaces remaining. Still, by the time Mito returned, they had settled on the small orchard of trees near the administrative building Mito had mentioned to the diplomats previously, which the Mokuton user had grown about a year after they founded the village. Hashirama would temporarily relocate those trees while they set up the building. Then, when they were ready for the second half of the work, he'd escort them to the Uchiha compound with the Fire Pavilion. The trees could be planted to provide privacy for that outdoor meeting space.

Trailing behind Mito were four young ninja. They were barely eleven, freshly approved for missions by their clan leaders. Due to their age, Madara and Hashirama were leery about sending them out on their own. So, for a few months, they'd be paperwork runners.

"Lady Sada, meet your main helpers." Mito waved a hand at the three boys and one girl standing behind her. "If you need something, they can either fetch it or fetch someone who can."

Sada smiled at the children. "Hello! I appreciate your help in advance."

One of the boys, an Akimichi, blushed a little before he ducked his head and mumbled something vaguely resembling an affirmation. Madara snorted, and Hashirama cooed at the kid. The Yamanaka girl rolled her eyes and jabbed her elbow into the boy's ribs, making him yelp and jump. The two remaining children both snickered before sobering under Mito's quelling stare.

"Perhaps you can make an initial list of what you need? That way, they can get it around while Hashirama splits the pavilions and moves the first to its new home."

"A fine idea." The woman quickly jotted down a list of writing supplies and passed it over to the girl. "Please bring all that to where the Water Pavilion will be set."

Hashirama explained where that was, and then the four kids nodded and headed off. They jockeyed with each other, each trying to get out the door first, and the Inuzuka boy shoved his companions aside and barreled out the door, crowing in victory. Sada chuckled at the display.

"Shall we go?" she asked.

Chapter Text

Chapter 26

Splitting the pavilion and moving both halves was a minor spectacle. The building did not crack so much as it grew apart like a branch naturally separating. The center columns thickened as they split, leaving behind two in each corner, the same width as the single one had been before. That portion of the process took about half an hour, as Hashirama wanted to be careful about weakening the structural integrity. By the time he was complete, they'd gathered about a hundred spectators, all excitedly whispering. Their volume only increased when they realized what was happening to the two sections.

Standing far off to the side for her protection, Lady Sada watched amazedly as the left-most half slowly rose off the ground. What initially appeared as massive stilts soon morphed into thick, jointed limbs as wide as she was twice over. The entire thing soon looked like some gigantic, awkward spider-creature with a dozen wooden legs.

Carefully, so very carefully, Hashirama directed the construction to shift. One massive leg slowly lifted at an angle, gliding forward to land on the ground before it, sending small tremors through the earth. Another appendage followed, and then another, until the Pavilion was lurching away from its previous resting place and heading towards its new home a few hundred feet away. The three shinobi escorted it, with Sada trailing a way behind with a handful of shinobi as makeshift protection in case something went wrong.

"Move!" Madara bellowed, walking in front of the thing to clear the path. He swept his arm through the air and fired off a harmless belch of flames to grab gawkers' attention. "Move aside, now!"

Mito was at the back with her husband, giving him directions for minuscule path alterations so he wouldn't smash into anything. She'd dart from side to side, eyeing the space between the swaying load and the buildings or trees, murmuring in Hashirama's ear as she passed behind him. Finally, they reached the grove. The Hokage froze the pavilion, still suspended, so he could turn his attention to the three dozen trees embedded where the building needed to go.

The grove had always struck Madara as a little hodge-podge. There were at least four types of fruit trees growing haphazardly within it. He'd spotted lemons, cashews, pomegranates, and persimmons. Since they were wildly different from one another, the Uchiha thought it was only due to Hashirama's determination that they had rooted and flourished. What also struck him as odd was its creator's lack of interest in it. Aside from visiting every few months to check on its health, Hashirama never spent much time in the copse. He even seemed to go so far as to ignore it outside those self-mandatory check-ins. Still, the motley orchard was handsome, and Madara was looking forward to having it closer, where it would be easier to pick fruit surreptitiously whenever he pleased.

With a loving hand, the Senju went from tree to tree, whispering to them. He ran a hand over their trunks and trailed his fingers through leaves. After he'd visited each one, he returned to the pavilion and raised his arm out forward, perpendicular to his body. He twisted his hand around until the palm was facing up and curled his fingers in a beckoning motion. And then... the magic happened.

The trees shivered. Then they shuddered. One lemon tree off to the side seemed to straighten somehow, even though it was already standing tall and proud. It pushed its trunk upward past what should have been possible and stretched its branches out. Finally, one of its roots burst from the ground. The root wedged itself in the topsoil and used that to lever more roots free. When three large tubers were liberated, they worked in tandem to wiggle their remaining brethren out of the dirt. With an almighty groan, it popped out of the ground. There was a half-second where the lemon tree was airborne before it crashed back down. However, instead of toppling, its branches whirled about like a falling person's arms. That tree righted itself and began to walk.

And it wasn't alone. Every single one of those three dozen trees pulled itself loose. Together, they made the arduous journey out of the clearing and toward where Hashirama stood at the foot of the upraised building. They neared him, and then they passed. As they did so, the Mokuton user reached out and touched each tree gently, giving it a reminiscent smile. When the grove was cleared, Hashirama looked to Mito.

Without a word, the seal mistress moved to the central point in the space. She raised her hands and completed the hand seals for a low-level earth jutsu. With it, she leveled the ground as best she could. Then, she motioned for Madara.

Knowing it was his turn, he swapped places with the woman. When she was out of the way, he called up his affinity and used it to intensify the fireball jutsu he cast. The flames tore through the clearing, painstakingly controlled by his chakra, scorching the ground and hardening it, making it harder for water to seep into and rot away the pavilion's base.

After that, Hashirama positioned the structure where it needed to be and lowered it most of the way. He left about a foot of space for final adjustments, and when the three of them were happy with its placement, he lowered it to the ground. It sank that last bit gracefully and came to rest in its final home.

The crowd began to applaud, cheering and whistling at their Hokage's performance. It had been years since they'd seen something as grand as this. Most hadn't seen him form the pavilion, and flowers randomly sprouting weren't all that special. But moving a massive structure and bringing trees to life? It reminded many of them that the man was powerful in his own right.

Ignoring the civilians and shinobi alike, he turned to his wife and friend. "One down, one to go!"

Sada approached. Her four runners fell in line behind her like ducklings, all of them gaping at the building. They'd been too young to be allowed to watch when the village was formed, so this was the first real example of Mokuton they'd seen. Obviously, they were impressed.

"Marvelous!" she exclaimed. "And it looks perfect there. It will be the perfect meeting place."

"Good," the Hokage enthused. Then, for seemingly no reason, he stopped. He turned back to the structure and tilted his head in thought. His expression lost its buoyancy the longer he stared.

"Hashriama?" Mito asked her husband after a minute.

"You know," the man said eventually. "It doesn't really match anymore, does it?"

People looked between him and the pavilion. Without waiting to clarify, the Hokage nodded to himself and started forward towards the building. When he reached it, he stopped just beside one of the large pillars. After a moment, he drew in a deep breath and then reached up to lay a hand on the beam. Wood began to warp under the touch. The effects travelled outward until they could see small ripples everywhere, like a stone tossed into a pond. Then, the ripples solidified as the wood's surface did, and the previous images faded back into the structure. In their places came new engravings. When he was done, Hashirama stood there, his back to the crowd and staring up at the interior of the Water Pavilion.

Mito moved forward to join her husband, and Madara saw her take in the new decorations. Her dark eyes widened, and her lips parted before they stretched into a small smile. Curious, both Madara and Lady Sada joined them. A glance at the pillars gave the fire user a rough idea of what to expect, but the full details further inside took his breath away.

In honor of its name, the Water Pavilion now sported a new theme. Where they were once generic spring-themed, now beautiful water-themed engravings filled the space. Fish and turtles played in rivers. Otters, dolphins, and dragons rode waves. There were scenes of storms raging over the open ocean and calm ponds with lotus blossoms and lily pads. Pillars alternated between waterfalls and arching tides.

But the most beautiful of all was the artwork on the ceiling.

It was Ryujin, the Dragon God. What had to be the moon, because the god was intrinsically linked to it, took up the center. It was large and brilliant in a lighter shade of wood than had previously been part of the pavilion. Around it, the god coiled his long body and held up his magical jewel that controlled the tide. The end of his body erupted from the ocean beneath him. Within the water, closer to the edges of the room, were fish, seals, and turtles... all members of Ryujin's court. In the sky were clouds. The entire mural had an otherworldly quality, and it took Madara a minute or two of gaping to realize it was because Hashirama had carved it as if it were a reflection. It was the perspective of looking down into still water rather than glancing up directly into the heavens.

"Wow..." Madara breathed, eyes still locked onto the image above. "Hashirama, this is beautiful."

The Mokuton user laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "It's not too much?"

"No!" Sada broke in, as awed as the Uchiha leader. "It's gorgeous, Hokage-sama. Don't change a thing."

"Isn't it a little on the nose, though?" someone asked from a little way away. People had wandered in to examine the new work for themselves, and several of them were equally entranced with the ceiling as Madara had been.

"Maybe… maybe it is." Hashirama's hand brushed the carved wave nearest him, fingers lingering before he caught himself. A half-smile flickered before it shifted quickly into a grin. "But if it's a water pavilion, it should look like water, shouldn't it?"

"Yes," Mito cut in before anyone else could. She had been examining the art intently, then turned to her husband. In breaking her normal opinion on blatant displays of affection, the princess pulled her husband's head down and leaned up to place a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. She smiled up at him gently as her thumb wiped away a small smear of lipstick. "It's perfectly clear."

Hashirama and Mito broke from their little world, and the man cleared his throat before turning to Sada. "Are you alright here while we go relocate the other one?"

"Yes. Yes, go on. I'll grab some shinobi who are around right now to go collect half the tables at the old site."

"Husband." Mito turned to Hashirama. "Can you temporarily stick the other half of the tables to the inside of the Fire Pavilion so they travel with us?"

"Excellent idea, Mito! Definitely. I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier."

They left Sada and her interim minions behind and returned to the training field. The trees trailed behind them in three orderly lines. The villagers gawked at the sight and followed along after. More and more people joined the makeshift procession, and soon they had upwards of two hundred people tagging along to witness what they had planned next.

Relocating the Fire Pavilion took longer. Not only did they have a great deal farther to go, they had to find more shinobi not gawping to run ahead and forcibly clear the streets. They gained what seemed to be a third of the village by the time they reached the Uchiha compound. Madara looked towards his home and spotted most of his clan standing in front of or on the wall, waiting for the show to arrive. Hashirama had to stop at the final turn so they could handle the milling group. The Uchiha, positioned along the path but out of the way, dispersed into the gathering and began elbowing and even tossing people aside until everyone made way for them.

Fixing the structure in its new location took barely ten minutes. However, planting the trees around it took much longer. The ground was packed down by daily travel, making it too difficult for them to burrow down on their own. Madara had to have his clansmen gather every shovel they could find in the compound to help dig up and till the soil, making it soft enough for planting.

As they dug, one of them complained under his breath about just cutting the things up and being done with it. Hashirama, within hearing distance, shot a surprisingly fierce look at the man. It shut the idiot up, and the Uchiha lowered his head and went back to digging.

Once that was done, Hashirama walked each tree around the area one at a time, guiding it with a strong and steady touch on its trunk or even holding a drooping branch as if it were a child's hand. Eventually, when it found its desired spot, he waited for it to settle into place before smiling at it fondly and then moving on to the next of its siblings.

When it was over, the pavilion was surrounded by trees on all sides, creating a modest shelter from prying eyes. The arrangement still allowed sunlight and breeze to travel through the space, though. There were also wide gaps left open on each side as entrances. The tables and chairs popped free from the floor and were movable once more.

Somewhere along the way, they'd lost most of their audience. Only a couple of dozen villagers remained. It was probably entrancing to watch trees sway and move on their own. Madara had been tempted several times to reach out to the trees patiently waiting for their turn to see if they'd respond to him. A pomegranate close to Mito had leaned down to offer the woman one of its freshly ripened fruits. Whether that was of its own volition or at Hashirama's silent order, he didn't know.

"It's so pretty!" Hashirama was staring teary-eyed. A cashew tree shook and dropped several apples before waving the now bare branches. "They're so happy!"

"Yes. I'm glad." Mito crossed over to stand beside her husband. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed. "They were lonely, I think."

Something complicated flashed across the man's face at that, before Hashirama shoved it aside and smiled brightly at his arbor-children. "Well, now they'll get lots of attention!"

He turned to Madara and the handful of lurking Uchiha and waved a finger playfully at them all. "Don't go eating them all bare!"

Mito was behind Hashirama's shoulder and out of her husband's line of sight, so he missed the stern glare she shot them all at that. Madara, however, was perfectly capable of seeing the silent threat and nodded at the Hokage's teasing order. While his friend seemed to be joking, there was something genuine to it if Mito was backing up her husband. The Uchiha leader would ensure his clan paid the trees attention, but practiced prudence when harvesting from them.

"We'll be respectful, Hashirama."

Pleased, the Senju looked around at the Uchiha. "Is there anyone you want to grab before we head back? I'm not sure what committees Lady Sada is planning on."

Thinking that over, Madara nodded and then turned to Hikaku, who had shown up at some point. "Go get Aunt Makodo."

His cousin darted off to grab the elder. She arrived a few minutes later, twisting her hair up into a quick bun. Hikaku walked behind her, showing the woman respect for her position.

"What's going on?" Her eyes darted over the trees and pavilion that hadn't been there that morning.

"We're pulling together some committees to help prepare for the Ishaan's arrival. Who would you suggest for household goods?"

"Just one?" she wanted to verify.

Madara shook his head. "Multiple. I'd say four or five to be safe. We can always add or remove as necessary."

"Hmm... Well, I'd grab Kenji for sourcing, and then Sara, Niko, Mana, and Chiyo. They all deal with either the clan inventory or run multiple households."

"Hikaku, grab them and bring them to the new Water Pavilion where the orchard used to be." He turned his attention back to Makodo. "Will you attend as well, Aunt? You will probably know better than I who would work well on what."

"Of course, Madara-san. Lead the way."

They traipsed back to rejoin Sada and found her marshalling over forty people. They looked to be mostly civilians from the various clans, though there were a couple of Heads and Heirs thrown into the mix. Choko was in attendance, though neither Shikamoto nor Inojiro was. She looked to be arguing with Tadasu, both of them standing off to the side of the Minister's wife. Sada appeared to be doing her best to ignore them, but it was easy to see she was annoyed with whatever it was they were fighting about.

Beating Madara to the punch, Hashirama huffed in irritation and plowed through the dozens of people milling about until he reached the quarreling shinobi. Madara and Mito followed in the man's wake, pricking their ears to hear the confrontation before the Hokage's presence disturbed it.

"-not your decision!" Choko growled.

"I think it is! After all, it certainly wasn't the Akimichi being considered to house the man."

"Lady Akimichi, Hyuuga-kun! It's so nice to see you both. What has you two so lively today?"

Tadasu scowled at the informal address, but didn't have the rank to correct the village's leader. Instead, he merely dipped his head as little as he could get away with. Choko's scowl deepened at that show of disrespect, and she jumped in before the Hyuuga could after greeting Hashirama herself.

"Hyuuga-san is under the impression that he's going to be leading this project."

Hashirama blinked at that before fully turning his attention to the slightly older man. "Pardon?"

Haruko's son straightened and rolled his shoulders back. "It only makes sense that the Hyuuga take point. We're the best positioned to understand the unique needs of the Ishaan."

"Alright," Hashirama conceded easily, angering both Choko and Madara, before he continued. "What are his needs?"

"Excuse me?" Tadasu seemed startled at the other man's question.

Hashirama clarified. "You say your clan is best for overseeing these committees, yes? Your father must agree if he sends you to represent your clan. So, what are the Ishaan's needs? Tell me his preferences. What are your plans?"

"Um..." The Hyuuga stalled, unprepared to be put on the spot like he was.

No one was impressed, including the Hokage.

"Hyuuga-kun, while I'm ecstatic that your clan is so willing to chip in and help, I'm afraid I've already appointed a project lead. You'll find that Uchiha-Sama will be taking that role and is quite well-suited for it. Perhaps next time you could coordinate with your father before volunteering for leadership positions? However, that doesn't mean you can't participate in one of the committees. I'm sure we can squeeze you in."

It was as rude as Hashirama tended to get, and everyone within hearing distance knew it. Tadasu started to turn an ugly pink, his cheeks and neck blotchy with indignation. Choko, on the other hand, had to twist her head to hide her grin from the younger man. She caught Madara's eye as she did so and saw his vindictive pleasure at witnessing the Hyuuga being put in his place. They were both fed up with this particular shinobi and hoped he would flounce off in a huff back to his father.

"But... I-" he began to argue, but was cut off.

"I'm afraid we really must get started, Hyuuga-kun. Why don't you go find a seat somewhere?" Hashirama swiveled around a full 180 degrees, putting his back to Tadasu. "Madara, ready to start the meeting? You're in charge, after all."

"Of course, Hokage-sama. Lady Akimichi, Hyuuga-san, please find seats."

With no other choice but to leave, Tadasu clenched his hands into fists but bowed respectfully. "As you say, Lord Hokage."

"Well done," Choko murmured towards Hashirama as she passed by to a seat one of her clanswomen was holding open for her. "Though it would be Haruko puppeting that son of his, I warn you."

The Senju male ignored that in favor of bouncing away to where Mito was sitting with Touka and several other Senju. That argument breaking up and the Hokage sitting acted as a signal to everyone else. Little by little, the other gathered individuals, both shinobi and civilians, found seats. Madara stepped forward and raised a hand, silencing the mutterings around the space.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. And welcome to the new Water Pavilion. As you may have noticed, we have split the old one into two. The other one is the Fire Pavilion. There will be three others built in due time, each named after one of the other elements. Each will be an assemblage place and act as an outdoor conference hall. While they will be open to the public, please notify the Administration of any major gatherings at least a day or two in advance. If a hall is required for an official purpose, that will take priority.

"Now I'm not sure what you've heard or have been told, but this meeting is to discuss and form various committees to begin preparations for Ishaan's arrival. The most obvious work will be the clearing of the site and building the new estate. However, that is only one prong of the shuriken. We must also furnish and decorate it. That is of equal importance and will take just as much, if not more, time and effort."

A Yamanaka man, probably there for the construction committee, scoffed. "Buying tables? Please."

That garnered a plethora of nasty looks and even small amounts of killing intent aimed at him, and he gulped and slunk down in his seat.

"As was pointed out to me just this morning," the Uchiha drawled, "setting up any new household from scratch is no simple task. Indeed, the example given to me was far more apt. We're setting up an entire minor clan of elite noble status."

Sada hadn't brought up the Ishaan's standing in such blatant terms, but it wouldn't hurt to be as plainly spoken with this lot as possible. And he was right. Reminding everyone of the man's favor and position with the Daimyo sobered the group. While they had started to slip into annoyance at the meeting's purpose not even a minute prior, they were serious now.

"The preparation of Ishaan's household is a direct reflection on Konoha, and, therefore, the Daimyo. Half-hearted measures will not be tolerated."

He turned his head over his shoulder to look at Sada and waved her over. "For this end, Lady Sada was gracious in offering to remain behind while her husband, Lady Reiko, and the other ministers returned to the Capitol. She will be meeting with several groups of people throughout the week to explain what to expect when working and living with Ishaan, and to discuss proper etiquette when he is fulfilling his primary contractual obligations."

Sada stopped a step behind Madara's right shoulder and bowed slightly to everyone. "Notices will be sent out either later this afternoon or tomorrow morning, depending on how long this meeting runs. Please be patient and understanding. Not everyone will need to attend such a meeting. Instead, the primary focus will be on clan leadership first, and then work downwards from there. That way, your clan head, heir, or elders will be able to pass on that information if needed."

Madara continued. "But that is for another time. Now, we must discuss the general committees needed and begin forming them. To that end, four have already been identified. Firstly, Construction. Lord Hokage is heading that, as his specialty naturally aligns with that undertaking. Hashirama?"

At the call of his name, Hashirama popped up from his seat and crossed over to stand in front of the crowd. The Uchiha leader took a step back to allow the other man the room to speak and stood next to Sada. Hashirama cleared his throat and projected his voice to reach everyone listening.

"The priority is clearing the land of the rocks and boulders. Nothing can begin until that is done. The largest boulders and slabs will likely have to be blown, so we'll save those for last. The ones that we can move by hand or jutsu are our priority. We'll need as many able-bodied people, shinobi and civilians, to assist with that. Initial committee work will involve deciding the general schedule and determining where to store the debris."

With that, he returned to his seat.

Madara stepped forward again. "We'll handle sign-up at the end of things. Next, we have several committees all in the same branch. They are meant to break up and handle the acquisition of all goods that must be brought into the house when it's built. I will be the first to admit I was as foolishly ignorant as Yamanaka-san earlier."

That garnered chuckles at both men's expense, but Madara allowed it. "I scoffed at needing an entire group devoted to linens. Lady Sada, however, kindly pointed out that any of my kinswomen who run their own households would want to smack me for that sentiment."

A great deal more laughter broke out at that, mainly from the female portion.

"I'll ask Lady Sada to provide the same scenario to this group that she gave me."

Sada stepped up and opened her notebook. She ran through the same example of the basic cost to outfit a bedroom for a single household member. It shocked most of the room as such things were usually bought in pieces and built into a clan's or house's annual budget. There wasn't ever really a situation that required mass purchases like this. Hearing the estimated cost per person was incredibly jarring.

Madara cleared his throat. "Now, take into consideration the number of people who will be coming. We're planning for up to sixty people."

"But most of them are guards and servants!" came from the back, a Nara by the looks of them.

He nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, but they're still guards and servants of the Ishaan. While we aren't expected to ply them with top-grade pottery and bedding, they would still merit higher quality than what someone else assigned to a merchant would. This man, for all intents and purposes, is an unofficial prince. We know of several royal marriage offers across the nations. The Daimyo all want him for themselves."

"Beyond that," Sada chimed in, trying to draw attention away from that topic, "please also remember that half the honor guard will be foreign ninja handpicked by their Daimyo. They serve the dual purpose of protecting Ishaan's household as well as observing how your village, and by extension, the Fire Daimyo, treats the man. Their reports will bear significant weight with their leaders."

"So this is political," Takeo Senju pronounced, sounding and looking bored.

People began to grumble, unhappy about having to pay exorbitant sums for no good reason. If something wasn't done, the group was going to mutiny, and the village would soon follow. Luckily, having been trained in human nature, Sada saved the day.

She took a step forward and bowed to Takeo. "You are very astute, Senju-san. Many people in the past have not realized that to their detriment. It shows well on your clan. However, if I may?"

Takeo, startled that the woman would address him directly and so flatteringly, nodded in response. With that permission seemingly given, the former geisha turned her attention to the pavilion at large. She honed in on the prominent individuals who seemed the unhappiest.

"Yes, how they curry his favor is political, but not the underlying reason for it. What may not have been made clear to your clan leaders was the exact reason for that showmanship. Ishaan is a prominent figure amongst their Lordships. They wish to claim his principal citizenship. The primary method identified in doing so is to invest in his comfort."

Choko, sensing an opportunity to resolve the building tension and move the narrative forward, shifted in her seat and spoke up. "Why do they want him so badly, Lady Sada? Surely, wooing one man is not worth so much effort from the major Daimyos?"

"Oh, it is, Lady Akimichi. It very much is. The Ishaan is worth his weight in gold hundreds of times over." Sada's expression was so serious that most of the people near enough to see her straightened instinctively.

The Lady swept her gaze over the crowd. "The Ishaan has bettered the lives of people throughout the continent. He has destroyed trafficking rings that sought to enslave shinobi and civilians alike. He's prevented wars between nations, halted civil wars, and averted coups. He has advised many countries on various projects that have increased productivity and profit. In doing so, he has helped establish better working relations between the countries."

The pavilion was silent, and not even the sound of someone's breathing could be heard. For his part, Madara was struck dumb. While he knew the man was a ninja and had performed various jobs for the Daimyo, neither Izuna nor Shikamoto had provided details of what that work entailed. Likely, the specifics were kept out of written record, which the Uchiha didn't fault the Daimyo for. If what Sada recounted was true, Madara would have done everything he could to keep such an effective tool a secret as well.

"More than all that combined, however, is the value he brings to our Lordship on a personal level. Ishaan is a friend. He has proven to be trustworthy and honest, regardless of how much easier and safer it would be to be otherwise. Our Lordship insists that Ishaan has the best because the man deserves it. Politics merely help justify it."

There was still a faint undercurrent of unhappiness. They'd already given up a great deal to secure this stranger's services, including their pride. And now more was expected? However, with Sada running damage control, Madara was able to wrangle the group back into line by reminding them of the reason they were there.

"Regardless of our Lordship's politicking, it's clear the Ishaan is to be given all respect due to someone of his status. That means the home we build for him must reflect that status. While it will be a massive undertaking, I'm not overly concerned about us building the thing. It's the furnishing that has my concerns. I think it's safe to say that none of us has any experience with procuring an entire clan's worth of goods within two months."

Mito stood and moved to stand beside him and Sada. "I will be assisting Lord Uchiha in managing that side of the project. To that end, I ask Lady Sada to provide a brief overview of the committees needed and their primary functions."

Sada nodded to the Uzumaki before turning back to the room. "Firstly, there should be at least three: linens, houseware, and furniture. There should be a fourth for miscellaneous needs, or any crossover between the groups. The groups are thus...

"Linens. Linens will be responsible for all fabrics required or desired. This entails the bedding, tablecloths, napkins, towels, and anything else. There will be different sets of quality needed for the various groups that make up the Ishaan's household.

"Houseware consists of anything that is not fabric or furniture. This is tableware, lamps, pens, parchment, ink, shoji paper, and vases. Again, various sets of quality.

"Furniture. Furniture should be self-explanatory for the most part. Beds, dressers, tables, chairs, doors, cabinets, chests. Additionally, there will be unique pieces that Ishaan will require. An example of that would be custom drying frames."

She gave everyone a chance to absorb that deluge of information before she continued. "As I said, there will be overlap. Housewares may need Furniture to procure chests or cabinets. Linens may need Housewares to order rings for napkins or embroidery thread. It's essential to set up these groups in a way that allows information to be easily and quickly shared among them. It's critical to know what everyone is doing and where your scope of authority begins and ends. The quickest way to failure is missing something or duplicating work needlessly."

"With that broken out," Mito declared, "I will take the lead for the Housewares committee. That is the largest area with the most work that needs to be done. It will most likely be broken up further. Once we have a tentative member list, I will select leaders for the other two panels. However, they both will still report to me. I, as well as Hashirama, will in turn report to Lord Uchiha. This is to manage the flow of information when we become neck-deep in the quagmire."

She nodded to both Sada and Madara and returned to her seat. Seeing the end of this meeting in his mind's eye, the fire user quickly went over the remaining points to cover. There weren't that many, thankfully, but they were important.

"There may still be further groups formed. I can easily see another team strictly in charge of the actual procurement. However, this is a work in progress, and we're in the beginning stages. With that said..." he let his chakra roll out subtly to encompass the entire pavilion and everyone in it. The heavy and smoldering feel to it weighed them down. He could see most waver in their seats or begin to sweat. "Let me make something very clear. These committees aren't for fun. They aren't social get-togethers or bragging rights. This is real work, with real consequences. Anyone who volunteers or is put forward must put their all into this. If they don't, they will be told to leave and their clan heir notified."

He looked around at the villages watching him with wide eyes or pale complexion. Only a handful, like Mito and Hashirama, seemed to ignore the pressure he was bearing down on the room. Madara had shielded Lady Sada from his chakra, and the woman didn't seem any the wiser to what was happening.

"I mean it," he pressed. "If you don't think you're up to the work needed to get all this done, don't waste our time. Not being on a committee doesn't mean you can't assist. There will be plenty to do, and I'm sure the committee members will reach out to the clans for help when they get to that point. Just make sure that if you sign up, you're ready to work. If you're a leader or heir, ensure that the person you're putting forward is capable of doing the work. If someone you nominate wastes valuable time, you will feel my displeasure."

While conveying the last line, directed at the attending clan leaders and heirs, he increased the weight of his chakra and let it press down on everyone. If he happened to focus a larger portion on Tadasu, well, that was his business. Wasn't it?

"Am I clear?" The room filled with mumbling assent, and Madara let some of his control go. The tables and chairs began to smoke a little, and the air around them all warmed noticeably. He repeated himself, voice soft and tinged with threat. "Am I understood?"

He got a much louder reply that time. In response, he reeled his chakra back in and wrestled it back behind its usual iron-clad walls. The withdrawal of the oppressive energy brought life back to the attendees. He nodded, pleased, and gave them all a feint smile.

"Good. Now, Mito and Hashirama will sit at opposite ends of the pavilion, each with a pen and parchment. If you're interested in construction, see the Hokage. If it's anything else, see Lady Uzumaki. We'll get a preliminary list started today. I'll send a recap of this meeting to the clan heads, and let them know to pass on any appropriate names as well."

He huffed and placed his hands on his hips. "We've got a real chance to do something amazing here, people. This may be the first step to expanding the village further. If we do our job right, and the Ishaan is pleased, he may very well make Konoha his home. Imagine what such an opportunity could bring us. Hell! The other Fire clans who initially refused may change their minds. We may even pull in interest from other countries."

That resonated with many of the people because he could see their eyes practically light up at the picture he painted.

"Don't think of this as unnecessary spending. Think of this as a necessary down payment on our future. If we put in the work and take pride in it, that will show in the final product. We're bringing this man into our home so he can help us fix it, help us keep it. I'm hoping you want that as badly as I do."

Choko stood, drawing everyone's attention, and stared at Madara for a long moment before bowing to him. "You're very wise, Lord Uchiha. The Akimichi are at your full disposal for this project. We believe in Konoha as you do."

"As do the Senju," Touka spoke up from her spot. She, too, stood and bowed.

One by one, each of the highest-ranking members of the clan stepped forward and reaffirmed their loyalty to the village and their willingness to place their clan's support behind him, wherever it was needed to get the job done.

Finally, when all the clans had had their say, it was Hashirama's turn. He stepped forward, and Madara turned to look at him in confusion. The Hokage merely smiled at him and bowed as well, deeper than was right for the village's leader. Before the Uchiha could pull him back up, Hashirama straightened.

"The village has spoken, Madara. We begin our work." His expression softened as he glanced up at the engravings above Madara's head and then higher still to the mural. His smile dimmed, and his eyes turned inward in thought for a brief moment. Whatever it was he was thinking about, Madara couldn't guess, nor was it the time to ask. Still, Hashirama rallied, and his grin broadened into a bright thing that had even his harshest critics smiling in return. "For Konoha!"

"For Konoha," came the resounding cheer. It echoed off the tall ceiling and out into the village. "For Konoha!"

The gathering let out one more loud cheer before breaking apart. In that beat, when voices were the loudest, when it was difficult even to hear even his own thoughts, Madara could have sworn he heard something else from his friend. A hushed murmur that barely passed the man's lips, eyes on the ceiling, and was easy for Madara to push away as wishful thinking.

"For you, Tobi."