Kitsune no Ken GAIDEN Chronicles

by Neon Majestic

During the periods of time skipped over by official records, people did not sit in a vacuum. They continued living their lives, being who they were, doing what they were best able to do. These chronicles tell tales of people who lived at the same time as the Kyuushingai. SUPPLEMENT to "Kitsune no Ken: Fist of the Fox." GAIDEN 41, "Justice vs. Punishment," now up!

10. Obscurers, Part 2

Kitsune no Ken GAIDEN Chronicles

Written by Neon Majestic

(DISCLAIMER: The Naruto franchise and the characters therein belong to and were originally created by Masashi Kishimoto.)

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GAIDEN 10 – Obscurers, Part 2

(N.B. This Gaiden chapter's timeline begins in January, immediately following the end of the 365 days.)

Ishikawa, the Minister of Justice, gave a critical eye to the front page of the morning newspaper as its headline jumped out at him: Nation still picking up pieces after Terrors vanish.

"We tried to avoid one pit…only to end up falling into another…" Ishikawa muttered grimly. "The country's on the edge of paranoia, so many people are dead, and the international community is on the outside looking in…how are we going to salvage anything from this?"

Mechanically he folded up the newspaper, took up his briefcase, and headed outside to his car. On autopilot, he directed the vehicle out of the front gate, down the road, and toward an intersection where the stop-light was just then on green…but still his thoughts were on the report he'd just read.

Yagura…this all happened because I let that madman into the training program…Shijimi and Jibachi were right—nothing good was ever going to come of that…and I was too short-sighted to see it…

He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the stop-light had shifted from green to red…didn't realize until a second too late that the vehicle on the other side of the intersection, a delivery truck, was pulling out in front of him, and that he was coming way too fast to slow down…

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One month later…

Kazahana Sousetsu, the Prime Minister, removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "You're sure you won't consider taking up the position of Justice Minister full-time in Ishikawa-san's place, Jiraiya-san?" he asked the white-haired man standing before his desk.

Jiraiya shook his head. "Thank you for the consideration, but I believe I must decline the offer, Kazahana-sama," he replied. "I know you've had me acting in the post for the past month since Ishikawa-sama's passing, but…in my humble opinion, to do otherwise would be a disservice to the years Ishikawa-sama spent giving service to our country as the Minister of Justice."

"I see," said Kazahana. "I do sympathize with your position, Jiraiya-san. His death last month still comes as a shock to many of us in the Cabinet, even now."

"Yes, sir," said Jiraiya. "I believe it would be only appropriate for me to stay out of the spotlight, at least for the time being. After all…Ishikawa-sama was a good supervisor to me."

"Mmm-hmm." Kazahana nodded. "But the post can't be vacant for too long…and if you won't take the role on, then I'll just have to make a swift appointment of someone who will be in a position to do so."

"Have you someone in mind, sir?" Jiraiya wondered.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Kazahana leaned back in his chair. "I actually had him as a back-up replacement in mind, in case you were to say no to the role…how well do you know Yamashiro Aoba?"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "Your current Minister without Portfolio in your office…and a sitting Member of Parliament…graduated with honors with a degree in criminal law…though he is rather young compared to the rest of us."

"Sometimes we could do with a youthful perspective on things," Kazahana said with a smile. "Yamashiro-kun will certainly have the energy to get his appointed projects done, and as you've just pointed out, he definitely has the know-how to go with it."

"Hmm…as you say, sir," Jiraiya replied.

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"Come again, sir?" Yamashiro Aoba, a fairly young man in his mid-30s, blinked as the Prime Minister's words registered. "You want me to take Ishikawa-san's place as the Justice Minister?"

"I've already spoken to Jiraiya-san about it, and since he's not in a position to step up from the Permanent Secretary role, it's been agreed that you'll be the one at the helm," Kazahana said smoothly.

"Well, pardon me for asking, but why wouldn't you take up the role, sir?" Aoba turned to Jiraiya, who was standing not far away.

"For a couple of reasons, my young friend," said Jiraiya. "One, I'd rather stay out of the spotlight anyway. Two, I suppose I prefer to be the one on the ground doing the behind-the-scenes work as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry—I like to be able to do things…" His expression became clouded. "Three, it's still taking me a little bit of time to get used to the fact that Ishikawa-sama is no longer with us—I don't think I'm in the frame of mind to do half of what the position would require me to do, not at this present time."

"Besides which, Yamashiro-kun, I think it'll be perfect for you," Kazahana put in. "I know you've been carefully analyzing some reforms Ishikawa-san had been working on—perhaps you would be the best person to see how well those reforms can be instituted."

"Hmm…" Aoba cast his gaze at the floor. "Well, sirs…if you really feel that way about it…then as my way of honoring Ishikawa-sama's memory, I'll do my part to the fullest of my ability."

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A week later…

Aoba was walking along the corridors of Parliament, sifting through some papers he was carrying. "Geez, it hasn't even been a few days since I was officially sworn in as the new Justice Minister, and already look at what I'm being sacked with…!"

"So that's the real reason you turned down the post, Jiraiya-san—more plausible deniability in case anybody asks about that issue?"

The voice, coming from just around the corner, had come in a low tone, but Aoba had always had a keen sense of hearing. He stopped right where he was and listened.

"You know as well as I do that it wouldn't do for too many questions to be asked if I were in such a high seat of power," Jiraiya's voice came in response to the questioner. "At least with Aoba-kun in Ishikawa-sama's place, if anybody starts to suspect anything and asks questions, Aoba-kun can truthfully say he knows nothing of it."

Peering around the corner as much as he dared, Aoba saw that it was indeed Jiraiya, talking with Akahoshi. "Even still, with respect to Ishikawa, if he'd left any hint of what we did for anyone to find, we're all screwed," Akahoshi growled.

"Don't worry about it, sir," Jiraiya said smoothly. "The moment I learned of Ishikawa-sama's death, I went to his office and made sure to check for any trace of documentation of all our conversations concerning that issue. There's nothing there for any of us to worry about."

"I still don't like it, though," said Akahoshi. "Especially considering that Shimada Yachi is still out there and keeping herself off the radar. Have you had any success in finding her?"

"No, sir," said Jiraiya. "I did manage to make contact with her daughter Villette, but evidently not even she knows her mother's current address."

There was a pause. Then: "How much does the daughter know of this situation?" asked Akahoshi.

"Admittedly, it's hard to say," said Jiraiya. "I've had surveillance kept on Villette in case she and her mother should meet and have any sort of discussion that goes in that direction. They've met in public places a few times, but nothing in their conversations suggests that Yachi has told her anything. All the same, I'll keep the surveillance up on her just in case."

"You do that," Akahoshi said sternly. "It would not do for anyone to get wind of what has happened. This MUST stay silent, no matter what. If anything pertaining to those Kyuushingai can be traced back to what we did, it's over for us."

Aoba's eyes narrowed as he listened. Then, quietly, he turned and walked back the way he had come.

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"You wanted to see me, sir?"

Aoba sat at his desk, eyes narrowed as he looked at his visitor. "Yes. Have a seat." He gestured to the empty chair in front of the desk.

"Yes, sir." The visitor sat down as instructed. "To what do I owe this honor, sir? Oh, and congratulations on your recent appointment in the post of Justice Minister…as tragic as Ishikawa-sama's passing was."

"I don't have time for pleasantries. Let's cut to the chase and keep this simple." Aoba's gaze was hard. "I took the liberty of going through the Justice Ministry's recent files and correspondences concerning any projects it had in collaboration with any other government ministry or outside entity. Which brings me to why I called you here, Namikaze Minato…I understand your son was one of the nine volunteers for the government's intelligence-boosting program."

The visitor's expression slowly changed. "…yes, sir. That is so."

"Even if your son willingly entered the project, you should have monitored his involvement more closely than it appears you did. That he went cross-country in the past year of attacks with the other eight volunteers was due to negligence on your part as a father." Aoba intertwined his fingers under his chin. "The only reason I haven't ordered your arrest for child neglect and reckless endangerment is because of your sterling record working for the government over the last few years…and because I need your help now, Namikaze-san."

"To do what, Minister?" Minato asked.

Aoba sighed heavily. "I have reason to suspect that my predecessor, Ishikawa-sama, may have been involved in…troubling dealings with relation to the Kyuushingai. However, I do not want to prematurely point fingers anywhere on the off-chance I might be wrong, especially since I am new in the seat of the Minister of Justice."

"…so you want me to seek out evidence for you, incognito," Minato supplied.

"As far as is possible, nobody else is to know about this for now," Aoba warned him. "As time progresses and I can confirm it is safe to do so, I will bring the Prime Minister in on the matter. But I need you to find as much concrete information as you can dig up."

"What, exactly, should I be searching for, sir?" asked Minato.

Aoba looked the other man squarely in the eye. "Of all the stakeholders involved, who would stand to gain most significantly from the success of the training that the nine volunteers were part of? Was enough due diligence done into the background of all the volunteers? What would have sparked them running wild, and why was it not curtailed at the earliest possible moment? And what does it have to do with the ex-ambassador Shimada Yachi? Namikaze-san…without fear or favor to anyone…even if what you find could shake the very foundation of our system of governance…I want the truth."

Minato's eyes narrowed as he considered his instructions. "You mentioned Shimada Yachi…I understand she's a hard woman to keep track of, ever since she dropped out of the limelight."

"It doesn't matter. Do whatever you have to do to find her, if it comes to it that she needs to be found." Aoba's expression hardened. "Ishikawa-sama had knowledge of something concerning that woman…concerning the Nine Terrors…and I have no intention of being blindsided by anything that might come up at me because of whatever he was involved in before his death. Therefore, Namikaze-san…GET. IT. DONE."

Silence reigned for several seconds. Then Minato bowed his head submissively. "Yes, Minister."

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END GAIDEN 10

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NEON MAJESTIC: And so we see how Minato first got his commission to investigate the true circumstances behind the 365 days…and, of course, the main story outlines the eventual outcome of that. I must say, it's always very nice when you have supplementary material such as this to help fill in the gaps that were left unchecked in the main narrative.