Sealkeeper: He Who Binds
Chapter 136-A "A Debatable Hobby"
Patron Release 2021.03.14
They only spared a few minutes trying to come up with a name for the newest clone, a temporary placeholder so they could proceed with actual work. Unless they found time to think of something else it was, however, likely to end up staying.
Sure, "San" hadn't been the most creative of names for the third Naruto created utilizing the Sanbi's Chakra but it would do for now and allow Naruto and Tsukuyomi- who usually ended up swapping roles around as suited their needs anyway- to be more clear who they were speaking to.
Of course, that point was made moot at the moment as Naruto had remained in his office while Tsukuyomi and San went to the offices of Sai and Hana respectively.
He had even less work today than he'd had yesterday which, while speaking volumes for Hanabi's new system, made him realize both how much time he had spent in the past doing work that could have been used towards Shinobi training and also just how little he was apparently needed to run the Wolves even now.
It was a bittersweet taste but he could at least take solace in knowing that the Wolves would continue to prosper even should something befall him.
The lesser workload was welcome today, if only because the morning had been interrupted by seeing off Sai and Hana, and there was little remaining for him when he returned from that. His previous plans would have seen him taking on either Sai's or Hana's work after finishing his own but with two clones that was no longer necessary.
There were individuals who would no doubt welcome his attention during any 'free' time he might have after he finished his remaining work. Anko, for instance, was still languidly sprawled across his bed and would probably still be by the time he finished. He had little doubt she would appreciate it if he rejoined her though he probably wouldn't be able to escape her again until at least sundown at the earliest and would most likely just end up calling it a day and going to bed.
Having given her attention last night, however, meant that he was more likely to spend time with someone else. That was to say nothing of the other projects he could- and really should- be sinking his time into such as Gaara's recent request to find a way for Temari to be able to meet with Karura and Isobu.
That was probably going to come down to a seal simply based on the fact that the two were currently in a seal anyway. Getting her into that seal shouldn't prove too difficult but it was the idea of somehow allowing Karura and Isobu out of the seal without releasing the seal that seemed like it would be the most difficult.
He should take some time to speak with Karura about that, actually, so he knew what a Biju needed to be able to take such a form. Maybe he would be able to release a fraction of their Chakra and it would be sufficient for them to form in the physical world again.
Based on the fact that Pseudo-Jinchuuriki had been created in the past from trace amounts of Biju Chakra after rampages or sealings it was probably a long shot. The Biju no longer had a consciousness in those bits of Chakra, after all, so why would anything he drained from the seals be any different? If the issue was quantity- or perhaps concentration- them maybe he could manage it but the ideal solution would involve little to no Chakra so they wouldn't stand out too much and would- hopefully- be unable to cause any damage accidentally or otherwise.
Again, he would need to visit Karura- possibly even Mito as she had more experience- before trying anything or spending too much time following trains of thought that would never lead anywhere worthwhile. While in bed was probably the best option for that, he thought, if only because he would be busy dealing with the memories of his clones at that time and wouldn't really be getting rest anyway.
He wasn't sure how wise it was for him to be in a mental plane while it was trying to absorb two additional days of experiences- and it was just as likely he'd end up knocked out anyway- but he could give that a try tonight and then if it didn't work he could switch it to the early mornings. His mind could rest through most of the night and then he could let his body finish its rest as he spoke with the Biju within his seal.
That would need to be more than a one time thing and whichever way ended up working best he needed to turn into a habbit so he could continue spending time with Karura and their daughter more frequently.
Naruto especially wanted to be visiting often if he intended to use their Chakra daily for his other clones. It would be in rather poor taste to constantly use the residents of his seals without ever stopping by to spend time with them.
He was, if nothing more, a respectable host.
Other projects he needed to see to included testing out his new seal and the presence of Orochimaru- or, at the very least, Tayuya- was highly advisable when he did so. Having Shizune and Tsunade with him probably wasn't a bad idea either, just knowing how things tended to go for him.
A frown pulled at his lips. He should make an appearance at the academy, too, so he could see how Nami's future Shinobi were coming along but that reminded him that they had some of Orochimaru's forces being trained as second generation Wolves at one of the Snake Sage's other outposts. He'd been meaning to pay a visit there for some time now but had decided to have Mai go instead as they probably wouldn't be ready until she took her place as leader of the Wolves.
He'd never actually passed that on, though, which means it had never been done. He would either need to stick with his intentions to have her go and find some time soon to cover her duties to allow it or he needed to head off himself.
With two clones that was certainly doable, though he would have to keep them both active for the total duration he'd be gone from Nami and hope they didn't get dispeled early. Not only did that risk him being dragged into unconsciousness while out visiting the future Wolves but then there would be two individuals missing from Hanahime. If both were somehow dispelled the chances of him being out of commission for a significant amount of time jumped dramatically and then there would be no one taking on the responsibilities of Hana, Sai, or Tsukuyomi for gods knew how long.
That would be a disaster of unmitigated proportions.
Best to leave that for when Sai and Hana returned, then, just to be safe.
The frown deepened. That was- as had been pointed out by Hana- three weeks away and quite possibly the rest of the month. Ganju was sure to have something workable by then so he could relocate to Yu no Kuni. There was no way it could possibly take longer for something workable to be set up considering the team he'd been given.
Hell, even if Guren had to form a structure made out of her crystals that they then proceeded to drain out to serve as a small bunker to work from until everything else could be built. The frown mellowed out, going so far as to develop a small twitch that threatened to pull the upper right of his lips into an amused smirk.
If they hadn't already thought of it he was suddenly very tempted to suggest something to that effect. Guren would know her abilities better than anyone- save, perhaps, Orochimaru who might have come to understand the limitations even better than his subordinate simply due to how his mind worked- so she might be able to do even more than that to prepare something suitable for him to be able to relocate.
Even if there was some reason she couldn't use it in that way - it would be just his luck that those crystals dissolved in water or reacted poorly to the salt present in the Haran bay - it could probably be used to a lesser degree patching small areas- even temporarily- to make things go a bit more smoothly for the rest of the team.
He went to scratch that idea down on a spare piece of paper only to find himself frowning again and, after a moment's consideration, he instead went through his drawers for a new piece and began writing the letter out properly.
He already had the idea fresh in his mind and would be writing it down in detail anyway in his reminder so he might as well just jot it down as the actual letter and have it sent off as soon as possible. It didn't make any sense at all to delay, though he still had to figure out what he wanted to focus his attention on for the rest of the day.
That is, if something else didn't pop up at the first hint that he had some free time as it so often did.
At least the others shouldn't have to be worrying about his poor luck; he hoped things were going smoothly for them too.
Tsukuyomi felt his brow twitching as his head swiveled between the sheets held up in either hand. He had Hana's proposed- and corrected- budget for the month and he had the planned expenses of the Wolves- both here in Nami no Kuni and for those, few as it were these days, abroad- all listed here. Everything matched up, everything, but he still found himself with a problem-
Where the hell was he losing money? Every department was within Hana's budget, how the hell did the total between them exceed her total? That didn't make any sense!
There was something wrong here, he knew it, and he absolutely blamed Sai for whatever it was.
Gently lowering the couch- and being very, very careful to make sure it didn't scratch the freshly polished wooden floors- Kankuro straightened back up and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Moving furniture wasn't that difficult but with Gaara and Temari being unable to make up their godsbedamned minds as to where they wanted everything arranged in the room those actually moving the furniture- Kankuro and Sasori- had been at this all morning and a good portion of the early afternoon.
The Suna puppeteer was more than ready for a lunch break.
He also didn't know why his sister - or even Gaara being Naruto's son or whatever- couldn't just order some of the Wolves to do this for her.
Kankuro spared a look across the couch to Sasori- doing his best to ignore Deidara who ran back and forth past the doorway carrying little knick-knacks so Temari could see how they looked throughout the room- and could tell that while the man didn't seem at all weary from their morning activities the legendary puppeteer was caught between amusement at performing such a menial task and utter irritation that Temari couldn't commit to a permanent form for the room.
On one hand the man would have appreciated trying for perfection but on the other he really wasn't a fan of change. True art, after all, was eternal.
The older Shinobi didn't pay Kankuro's curious glance any mind- the Sandaime Kazekage's son assumed a man of his calibre was probably well aware of his surroundings- choosing instead to glare at his blonde partner as he dashed- well, power-walked- around the room to Temari's commands.
Taking a second to peer over his right shoulder Kankuro was treated to the unholy gaze of the palace's Mistress as she watched the proceedings accusingly just waiting for something to be dropped, paint to be scratched, or floors to be scuffed. He was sure she would descend upon them with all the fury of the gods as soon as she was aware of any wrongdoing on their part.
Unfortunately it was more likely to be something he and Sasori did considering they had to move the furniture. Gaara- sitting in the open window with his knees pulled to his chest- was just as unlikely as Temari who stood in the center of the room with her hands planted firmly on her hips to cause any sort of damage that would anger the older woman.
All he could really hope was that Deidara tripped and dropped a vase or something to draw the woman's ire to him instead of the poor puppeteers who would much rather be working on their personal projects at the moment.
Before he could think any more on the subject Temari's teal eyes focused on him standing right outside the double doors and she snapped out more commands. "If you have the couch out of the way get back in here and move the bed to the far wall. I want to see how the desk looks under the window."
"If the desk is here I can't sit here as easily." Gaara protested, the barest of frowns on his face as he turned from the view outside to gaze pleadingly at his sister. "I would probably end up knocking things off it."
She gave a firm nod and turned back to the middle child. "Okay, nevermind that then. Get the desk out of here too and then move the couch under the desk. We'll try putting the desk where the bed is." Temari paused, thinking, before continuing. "We won't put it against the wall because then anyone using it has their back to the door, instead bring it more towards the middle and leave room on one side to get behind it."
As tempted as Kankuro was to point out that no one had any actual use for the desk- it wasn't like temari or Gaara did any sort of work that required one- he kept his mouth shut to avoid both Temari's glare and the possibility that she might agree with him- which would still earn him that glare, of course- and send he and Sasori away to find another piece of furniture to replace the desk with.
He had absolutely no intentions of dragging an extra couch or a couple of bookcases up here to the fourth floor. He just wanted to be done so he could grab a sandwich or two and return to fixing his puppet that still hadn't quite recovered from the indignity of being utilized to transport luggage when they left Konoha.
He started towards the double doors to comply with his sister's instructions when he noticed someone new and paused mid-step, his head swiveling to confirm he was seeing who he thought he was.
Dressed in plain black robes of obvious quality tied with a sash of deep purple covered in fine gold embroidery, Tsukuyomi paused in whatever it was he had been doing to peer curiously at the spectacle before him.
Kankuro felt a sudden flush of embarrassment overtake him. Tsukuyomi- or Naruto or Tou-Sama as far as Gaara seemed to be concerned- was around his age but he was both the Daimyo of this country and someone so powerful that the Ichibi had been terrified into submission without any effort. That was not the sort of person you would be wanting to make a fool of yourself around and here they were tearing apart Gaara's quarters right in front of him.
Saying it was impolite to be invited into someone's home and just start redecorating was beyond an understatement but that's exactly what he was watching them do.
Sasori also seemed to notice him, turning just enough to put the young man in the corner of his vision and Kankuro really couldn't blame him. Anyone who could terrify a Biju should be kept in your line of sight.
"Come on, Kankuro." Temari huffed from within the room. "You might not have anything to do today but the rest of us do." Not only was that a lie it was the exact opposite of the situation. Kankuro and Sasori were the only two there- Daimyo notwithstanding- who had things to do today whereas Temari and Gaara didn't have anything else to do but rearrange the room.
"Making yourself comfortable I see, Temari."
At the sound of his voice Temari's attention immediately moved from her current task- if telling others what to do qualified as such- to Naruto and with a brightening expression she hurried out of the room to greet him.
"Naruto-Kun!" She flung herself over the couch Sasori and Kankuro had carried out and was quick to wrap the young Daimyo in a hug. "I've missed you."
"Gaara told me as much. I trust you had an enjoyable vacation?"
"Oh, yes." She nodded into his chest, reveling in the chance to feel him again. "It was fantastic. I'm very grateful you provided us with the means to take it. Maybe I could...show you just how...grateful...I am…?"
Kankuro did what he could to not hear that, unfortunately what he could do was exactly nothing.
"Unfortunately I have a meeting I must attend and you seem to be quite busy making Tsunami worry about her floors. Perhaps another time."
Temari frowned but nodded, accepting what he'd said. Not that she really had any other choice, really. "Yeah...Another time." Kankuro knew that glint in her eye, the one right behind the obvious disappointment. He had no doubts she'd be making absolutely certain that time would be in the near future. Patient his sister was not.
As she dropped her embrace she turned back on Kankuro and Sasori. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get to it!"
Shaking his head- and sharing a look with Sasori- he hunched down to move the couch- again- so the desk could be brought out of the way. He shot his sister an irritated glare as she hopped back over it to resume her position within the room.
"Kankuro…...Sasori….." Naruto only paused for a second as he acknowledged the presence of an S-Rank Rouge Shinobi in his palace. "If you cause Tsunami any distress with your carelessness I will be quite displeased."
The Daimyo didn't wait for a response, continuing on towards the stairs with complete confidence that his instructions had been received and would be heeded.
"Let me know if they damage any of your hard work, Tsunami-san. I'll see to it that they are properly disciplined."
"T-thank you, Tsukuyomi-Sama." She flashed the man a brilliant smile, her expression softening and lighting up in a way that took Kankuro by surprise but as soon as she turned her attention to the individuals moving furniture around her domain her countenance hardened and her glare returned.
It was too bad this was his introduction to the woman, she was really attractive when she wasn't hoping he would drop dead in a way that had the couch falling atop him instead of her floors.
Maybe she would forget about this and forgive him if he- by some miracle- managed to get through this without causing any damage to the palace.
He had to hope they managed to cover the spot in Gaara's room where they'd already scuffed up the flooring if that was to happen, though, and considering that was the middle of the room it didn't look too promising.
If only he could find a rug to throw on top of it.
While he had been tempted to allow his clones to attend the meetings of the individual they were replacing this particular meeting he wanted to experience firsthand. Not necessarily because it was especially important but more because it was the first meeting he would ever be having that actually addressed, well, anything to do with Nami at all.
Beyond assigning Sai and Hana to the country he really hadn't had anything to do with it's growth since he obtained it. This would be the first time he heard from people who actually lived here and helped determine the way Nami no Kuni would be growing.
To be honest, the prospect was kind of exciting. He would actually be acting in his capacity of Daimyo.
To the best of his memory, this would be the very first time he'd ever done so despite having been Nami no Kuni's Daimyo for nearly a year now.
At least, he thought it was a year. If he was to be perfectly honest he would believe someone who told him the Wolves took control of Nami no Kuni just a week or two prior, it felt like it had only just happened.
Of course, there was also the fact that last night had been...less than pleasant when he dismissed both clones for the first time. He'd managed to finish Tsukuyomi's -and by that he meant his own- work early enough for the meeting so he'd be dismissing San- Maybe he needed to assign coming up with names to someone else. Might keep Anko busy and out of trouble if nothing else- early, going to the meeting, and then finishing up whatever his clone had left.
Hopefully it wasn't too much as he had just been reminded of one of the many people who wanted his attention.
That and he was hoping he could find Orochimaru and a medic so he could try out his new seal.
Exiting the small patch of woods that separated his palace from the city of Hanahime he stepped onto the paved walkway and was quick to cross into the mass of buildings that made up the capital city of his country.
The only city, really.
He could have followed the road - it was more of a wide sidewalk, actually. It would seem Hana had felt that the cost of concrete and labor had been well worth negating the muddy roads that Nami's frequent rains created.- to the north east until he hit the main walkway and then followed that up north-west until he hit the governmental offices- or the equivalent Hana and Sai had snagged for themselves during Hanahime's booming growth but that would have meant crossing through the junction of the main road and Hanahime's outer road that went all the way to the northernmost tip of her ports. As one might expect, that area was often full of individuals transporting goods to and from the ports and into the city via the main road. It was the sort of mess- and large gathering of citizens- he would much rather avoid if at all possible.
To that end, he chose to instead slip through the smaller side streets and back alleyways instead. They weren't quite as cared for as the main road but were at least covered in gravel-sometimes an equivalent made out of small chunks of concrete that were left over from other projects but it did the job well enough- or even patterned brickwork if the owners of surrounding buildings took particular pride in them.
Either way, those paths were relatively clean and unobstructed by the traffic of Hanahime allowing him to slip into the back door of the offices without anyone noticing.
Not that they would be able to recognize him anyway, he supposed.
Giving a nod to a Wolf that had been sitting at the back table- probably taking a break, if he had to guess- who scrambled to stand at attention he turned to the stairs and went up to the second floor. He only knocked as a courtesy, immediately letting himself into Hana's office. His third clone sat there, working on reports, budgets, and proposed policies for the city.
Maybe he could leave the clone just for the duration of the meeting, letting it get more done? It might even finish while he was in the meeting….
He shook the thought from his head. He would probably forget to dispel it and end up keeping it active all day on accident. It was far safer to just do it now.
"Pack it up, I'll be taking over after the meeting."
He didn't question himself then- thankfully- and within the minute completed files were put away and those yet to be done had been appropriately secured in anticipation of his absence for the meeting. His teal-eyed counterpart gave him a quick salute and vanished in a cloud of white smoke and a growing headache.
He took a quick glance at the clock hanging on Hana's wall- he'd have to remember to comment on the fact that it had a picture of fluffy white kittens on its face when she got back- and determined he had a few minutes to spare to his favorite technique.
Fingers glowing green he moved them to his temples, massaging gently to fight back the pain of unintegrated memories. Considering he used Iryojutsu more than any other- pretty much on the daily if he was using clones for any length of time- maybe he should have taken Shizune's suggestion of becoming a Shinobi Medic. Gods knew being better at this could only be a boon in the future, especially if he ever found himself having to use more clones.
A shudder of phantom pain wracked its way down his spine at the horrible thought.
No, it would have to be a hell of an emergency for him to use any more than two clones.
Well. He paused. Unless he got better at this technique Shizune had taught him. Maybe then he would be comfortable using more. Perhaps he should consult her about that, he was confident he could find plenty of work for more Narutos if he had more Narutos around to do work.
He would need to figure out what to do with the sort of free time that would create, though. He never did get around to a hobby, did he? Maybe it would be a good time to find something he liked doing other than keep himself busy working.
Unless the things he did with Anko were considered a hobby.
He was half-tempted to say they were.
When the closest thing you had to a father happened to be an A-Ranked Nuke-Nin famed for slaughtering an entire academy of Shinobi hopefuls and was well known as a sympathizer- if not a full blown member- of the Kirigakure Bloodline Rebels one became quite familiar with 'roughing it' when it came to food and shelter.
That was not to say Haku particularly enjoyed doing so, however, especially when it was as a part of a long-term mission. Even then, time in the various wildernesses that still existed across the Elemental Nations was hardly unexpected from anyone of at least Chunin capability and could be considered rather common among all of the villages, greater or not.
No, Haku's primary issue stemmed from the fact that she was not in the wilderness and was, instead, very much in a metropolitan setting.
More specifically she was in the city of Namihime, Mizu no Kuni's capital city.
Arguably, it was much easier to scrounge a living in the middle of nowhere than it was to do so in the center of a city. She couldn't exactly set up a tent in the middle of the city or, at least, couldn't do so without attracting attention.
That meant she either had to make due sleeping in the streets, couch surfing off the generosity of kindly strangers, or use what little funds she had on either hotels or renting a proper residence. The latter options were not cheap normally but in the country's capital the cost of living was understandably higher. The demand here was much greater- both for goods and space- than any other city in Mizu no Kuni.
In the most simple of terms she didn't have the money for it. Not only was this mission for an unspecified amount of time- which could easily be months, realistically- but Kirigakure was in no financial position to fund her during it. Hell, she wasn't even sure she was going to end up being paid for it.
The members of the Rebellion had been being paid in IOUs - including bonuses and promotions- for nearly as long as it had existed. Fortunately for Kirigakure- or Mei, rather- quite a few members of the rebellion had died over the years, drastically reducing the amount of backpay that would eventually abandon Kirigakure's coffers.
You know, when it had those.
Some of the people who were fortunate to last through it- assuming they managed to continue doing so for the foreseeable future- could be looking forward to years of salary when Kirigakure managed to get back onto her feet and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to her own pay eventually. Haku and Zabuza hadn't been part of the main force getting regular salaries but they'd both been on missions for them with similarly 'paid' IOUs.
It was just a pity that the landlords here in Namihime didn't accept that form of payment, she was sure she had plenty.
Food, at least, wasn't as much of an issue considering she could walk on water and it was really rather hard for a fish to swim away when it was encased in a block of ice. It got a bit boring but at least she didn't have to shell out for meals. Her savings would have been gone within a week.
Instead, she could reserve her savings for real emergencies such as medical or any necessities that popped up. Toothpaste, for instance, would need to be addressed soon as she was nearly out. She could steal it- and any other number of things she could do with about now like a nice meal- but she needed to avoid anything that could get her in trouble with Namihime's law which meant she couldn't be taking any chances.
Damnit.
Haku was here to keep an ear out for anyone looking to claim the title of Mizu no Kuni's Daimyo and seek out sympathizers for Kirigakure. Unfortunately positive sentiment for the destroyed village was rare and weak. Considering Yagura had been draining funds and supplies directly from Namihime to support his efforts during the war she wasn't all that surprised and she couldn't blame them for wanting to focus on themselves for once.
She did think it might be a bit easier to get the information and connections Mei would like if she was anywhere near the circles of the upper echelons here but that too was going to require at least some money to facilitate. She needed time around well-off individuals if she wanted any chance of impersonating them without being caught and the chances of seducing and influencing some wealthy merchant or minor noble were rather low when she was more or less homeless. Not to say it couldn't be done but Haku's strength had never been her personality or people skills. Mei might be able to manage it but there was no way Haku was capable of doing the same.
If only she knew someone with vast amounts of money who might be able to fund her for the duration of the mission, maybe even accepting an IOU from Mei on behalf of Kirigakure for supporting a long-term mission that could be paid back later.
Outside the rebels and Kisame- who had vanished but might have some descent funding from his salary as a member of Akatsuki- the only other people she really knew were Naruko and her family. Kushina might be willing to help out but Haku thought that might be really pushing it when she'd already been treated to the Uzumaki hospitality during her previous delivery mission.
A sudden thought struck the last Yuki, reminding her that Kushina wasn't the only one in Naruko's family that might have money.
It was probably a bad idea, she admitted as she started to dig through her bags for some paper for a letter, but what did she really have to lose in asking?
Now, how did one go about asking for money from a Daimyo for the sake of helping a village the man had personally reduced to rubble on the basis of being someone who had kissed their estranged sister?
Sealkeeper: He Who Binds
Chapter 136-B "Inheritance"
Patron Release 2021.03.24
The meeting room of this particular building was on the third floor where the only space it had to surrender was to a single set of stairs heading down. Even so, it was hard for Naruto not to notice just how small the room really was with only three people in it. He would say it could sit a maximum of six 'comfortably' and probably up to eight before safety became a legitimate concern but even with himself making four the room already seemed more than a little cramped.
Most of that could probably be blamed on the large table that dominated the room- and he couldn't imagine how much of a pain in the ass it had been to drag the thing up here in the first place- leaving little room for anything more than the accompanying chairs and a few filing cabinets against the far wall.
Someone had attempted to bring a little life into the room with a potted plant that now slouched wilted in the corner, more dead than alive.
Naruto's presence was immediately noticed- thanks in part to the small size of the room- and he found three wary sets of eyes following his movements as he came to a stop at the end of the table. A second later three heads bobbed in hasty replacements for bows and mumbles of "Tsukuyomi-Sama'' reached his ears.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, gentlemen." The clock on the wall said he still had two minutes but that didn't change the fact that they had all been here since before he reached the building according to the memories of his clone.
He wasn't sure if they had been trying to finish up some project they'd started for Hana or because they wanted to make absolutely sure they weren't late to the meeting that was to include their Daimyo- in which case he wasn't so naive to think it was admiration or duty rather than fear which persuaded them to do so- but he also had no intentions of asking.
"N-no, not at all Tsukuyomi-Sama." Was the answer he received. "I am Yubere, lead architect. This is Tenba-" He gestured to a young man who was only slightly hiding behind him. "-My nephew and assistant-" His hand moved to indicate a much older man in a loose blue shirt. "And this is Master Builder Tazuna who has been serving as our consultant since the completion of the bridge."
Tazuna gave a sort of half-shrug before holding up his hand. Naruto wasn't sure if it was meant to be in greeting or some effort to make it impossible to mistake who Yubere was talking about.
"Yubere, Tenba, Tazuna-" Naruto gave a nod to each of them as he said their name. "It's good to meet some of the people who have been helping Hana." Just the name of the governess seemed to have them standing straighter as if reminded that this was originally a meeting for her and how it went with the Daimyo would reflect upon her somehow.
It wouldn't, of course, at least not negatively. Naruto wasn't about to judge Hana on the people she had to work with only on the results she brought about. If that was in spite of working with a horrid team than all the more credit to her.
Of course, he knew better than to assume she would suffer the presence of a lackluster team when she was so dedicated to Nami's continued prosperity. No, he could trust that she would have chosen well and any individual working directly for her was doing so for a damn good reason. He should be able to rely on and trust any of them just as much as he could Hana herself.
"We're all very proud to have the opportunity to help Hana-Sama." Yubere smiled and his nephew nodded in agreement behind him.
"She's a fine young woman, just what this country needed." Was Tazuna's addition, earning a quick- almost panicked- glance from Yubere. Tenba might not have recognized the words for what they were but Yubere and Naruto were very much aware that they could just as easily be an insult to Tsukuyomi as they were a compliment to Hana.
Naruto chose to ignore it. He already knew the people of Nami no Kuni favored her over himself and he was here simply to see to his country in her absence. When she was back they could resume working with her and forget all about him again. That was fine.
"I do believe we were to be discussing Hanahime's growth today, yes?" One crimson brow rose, daring them to try to break away from the topic he was dragging the conversation to. "Did you have suggestions to run by me already or are we just starting today?"
"T-today, Tsukuyomi-Sama." Yubere glanced over his shoulder to Tenba and gestured to the tabel with his chin. The young man was quick to rush forward and begin spreading out maps and documents that took up the entirety of the table.
The fact that he still had several rolls of parchment under one arm and loose pieces of paper clutched in one of his hands brought a slight frown to Naruto's face. They were going to need more room than this to work, that was clear enough.
"I don't suppose there's a way we can get some of these maps up on the wall to clear some space, is there?" He asked.
"Uh, no, Tsukuyomi-Sama." Yubere's head shook. "Well, we can," He corrected himself. "But the intention was to trace the boundaries we set today and send them off for a new map to be made before we get zoning approval from, well, you."
Naruto nodded in understanding. "Unfortunate, we'll just have to manage." He took a minute for his purple eyes to roam the map, picking out what looked to be recent additions in the form of his own palace and the small outpost-academy set up by Oto Shinobi. Gato's mansion, he noted with amusement, had been crossed off as if it was no longer there.
He would need to have it remodeled sometime soon so they could pretend they had built a new building atop the ashes of the old. Preferably before questions were asked. The presence of the Wolves might have dissuaded curious citizens thus far but it wouldn't forever and any continued presence in that area despite his palace having been finished was sure to bring up awkward questions sooner than later.
The chances that the people of Nami would be particularly surprised should they learn of the Wolves' deception was low but the revelation itself was sure to invoke further resentment among them. For the sake of maintaining order, that was something Naruto would very much like to avoid.
It's why their love for Hana was so damned important to Nami's continued prosperity.
And that prosperity was why Naruto needed to determine how Hanahime would be growing. Taking up a pen he used the back of it to draw an invisible line from Hanahime's main road all the way east to the Yato pass in the Azi mountains. The only reason that pass had ever existed was due to the former Daimyo's palace just north of the Hape Lake on the other side of those mountains but that palace- and the small town of buildings that had sprouted up around it in order to support his lifestyle- had been torched when Gato took over all those years ago.
Naruto felt fairly confident in saying the only reason Gato didn't keep the palace for himself was so he could pretend- officially, anyway- that he hadn't been the one to kill the man during his takeover. Oh, no, he just so happened to come into the area not long after and provide a form of order for the leaderless country.
Honestly, it wasn't that far off from what Naruto had done so he couldn't really speak too badly about Gato's actions there.
"I don't want anything being constructed south of here." His eyes flickered up to catch both Yubere and Tazuna's gaze for a split second each. More to make sure they were paying attention than anything. "Hanahime can continue expanding from here- '' He pointed to the westernmost crook of the map where Hanahime's docks met with the city proper. "Out to the northern curve of the Azi. That should easily be triple the space though it may be prudent to turn at least some of that into farmland just in case Nami no Kuni has trouble in the future."
As it was, they were a massive trading hub so there were no longer shortages of food and supplies passing through but it wouldn't be wise to assume that would always be the case. The last thing he needed was a Gato-like lack of food to cause an uprising.
Not that it was likely to happen anytime soon. Nami no Kuni's relaxed customs and the safety of their port- shielded from the Kaizoku sea as it was by the rest of Nami- meant it was favored for any trade going into or out of Hi no Kuni and served as a safe haven for vessels making trips between the Hokubu and Kanashii oceans.
Of course, were Hi no Kuni ports to ease up on tariffs and fees they would probably draw a lot of business away simply because Hi no Kuni had more coastal land including that which led into the Hangai gulf and Kanashii ocean which were simply more convenient for the southern hemisphere.
With any luck that could be made up by the fact that Mei in Mizu no Kuni seemed to have good relations with Konoha now which might lead to trade between the two of them instead of Kirigakure trying to trade with its own capital or with something like Mitsu no Kuni. Knowing his luck, Naruto thought it was just as likely they might just go straight to Hi no Kuni anyway as part of whatever agreement they would eventually come to.
"Yes, it would be good to have something to fall back on." Yubere agreed. "There are fields in that direction, too, so it doesn't even need as much effort to clear it out for farmland. The space currently forested would let Namihime double in size still so we should be set for some time now."
"Is there a reason you don't want anything south?" Was Tazuna's question. Yubere shot him a look for questioning the Daimyo- not out of respect so much as it was self preservation- but the old man ignored it.
"Expanding further south would bring Hanahime close to my own palace and to the Oto outpost where the children are being trained. It's good to keep some space there should any of them have enough Chakra for Jutsu training or if any of the Oto Shinobi are looking to practice."
"We could curve around your palace and go south a few miles afterwards." Tazuna argued. "Following down along the Azi to the coast. Another port there would reduce the strain we have in the channel between Hi no Kuni and Nami."
"It could serve that purpose, yes." Naruto nodded. "But this portion-" he circled the sout-western tip of the island. "I want protected from any and all development."
Tazuna was about to say something when Yabere held up a hand to stop him. "If I might ask, Tsukuyomi-Sama, what purpose is that intended to serve?"
"That is the inheritance of Nami's children, her untouched glory preserved for future generations."
"I see." He sort of saw what the idea was but that was still a lot of land to be forbidden to development. "Everything south of Yato pass?"
"No, from the coast to the middle of the forests south of the Oto outposts and the grasslands to the south-east of my palace."
"And between the boundary and the area you've set to develop?"
"Imperial land." Naruto's answer was quick and final; there would be no questions. "A pathway will be created allowing for citizens to visit the protected area through imperial land and between Wolves and Oto we'll ensure it remains pristine. I don't want future generations to have nothing left of Nami except a city that spans an entire island."
"Uh, yes, very good." Yabere gave a sharp look to his nephew who hurried to write down what had been said. "Everything else would be open, then?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. The Tendai swamps and the Basho pool will be part of a second protected region all the way up to the coast. It will include the mountains up there. Those are unnamed on the maps I have, though I'm sure the locals probably call them something." He pointed to the western side of the mountains. "This area to the northeast is open and free to be used - perhaps a new port- but I think Tazuna here might prefer the area around his residence to remain quiet."
"It would be nice." Tazuna agreed. "But that land isn't mine."
"No, it isn't." Naruto nodded again. "As you're someone aiding in the development of Nami, however, you've been placed in a position that could keep it from becoming an extension of Hanahime. Farms, perhaps?" He suggested. "That could keep it a bit more peaceful."
"Just to make sure we're understanding you correctly, Tsukuyomi-sama," Yabere sought clarification. "We're free to decide that section between ourselves, yes?"
"That is correct. I have no plans for it." Turning back to the map Naruto pointed to Hape lake, circling the area with the back of his pen. "This will also become imperial land, I have some ideas with what can be done with it. The rest of Nami- '' He gestured to the area between Hape lake and the protected zone of Tendai swamp. "Can continue to be developed. Personally I think another port city on that side of the island would be good for Nami but Hanahime could always stretch through the grasslands north of the Azi and then spread out along the eastern coast, too."
"Hell of a city." Tazuna whistled.
"Yes." Agreed Yabere. "Though that might be just a bit….excessive."
"By the time we get to that Hana will be back, so she can decide how the development is handled but now the two of you know the boundaries you should remain within for your planning. Seeing as most of that land has remained fairly untouched, you have the opportunity to design a second city from the ground up to ensure efficiency. I would advise against wasting it."
"Of course." Yabere started to lay thin paper down to begin marking the areas Naruto designated. "We'll get this to a cartographer and send you the finished product. In the meantime I'll have markers made and a survey team ready to put them in place to designate boundaries."
"Very good." He nearly turned to leave when the sight of Yabere rushing to collect charts spilling off the side of the table reminded him of something. "These buildings around us, they essentially hold Hana and those working alongside her, don't they? All the tasks relating to the running of Nami no Kuni?"
"Ah, yes Tsukuyomi-Sama."
Naruto gave a nod, both accepting and coming to a decision. "The forest separating my palace from Hanahime- cut it down."
"...Tsukuyomi-Sama…?"
"Cut it down." He repeated. "Leave the area as a public park or a garden or something, I don't care, but the palace shouldn't be so separated from the city- especially when I want these offices-" He gestured to the walls around him. "To be moved to the palace. There's no point having it all shoved into these small spaces when I have unused rooms there."
Tazuna and Yabere shared a look. "You want to use your palace to serve as Nami's government offices?" Asked Tazuna.
"That's what I said."
The older man just shrugged. Far be it from his place to tell a Daimyo how a palace was supposed to work.
"If you're certain, Tsukuyomi-sama, we'll have it seen to immediately."
"I'm certain. There's no reason not to have everything in the same place, especially when it's the most heavily guarded area of Nami. Having it all under one roof should make it easier for everyone to communicate and for those who need something to reach the right department."
Yabere frowned. That almost sounded as if- "You're not intending to invite the public into the palace, are you?"
Naruto's brow rose up in challenge. "And if I was?"
"I, uh, just thought it might be a rather large security risk is all, Tsukuyomi-Sama."
"No one who doesn't have business, of course, but if I move your offices there and someone needs to reach one of you or even Hana they would have to be given entrance to the palace." Naruto shrugged and turned towards the stairs. "Of course, that also means anyone who might seek to harm any member of Nami's Imperial Court has to make it through the Wolves first."
Tenba spoke up for the first time since Naruto arrived-emboldened by the fact that the young Daimyo was leaving- to point out; "Nami no Kuni doesn't have an Imperial Court."
"Not yet." Naruto agreed with a glance over his shoulder. "She's still young. I'll see you gentlemen at the palace."
Naruto left the room, his footsteps softly descending the stairs and growing fainter as the three men shared another look.
"At the palace?" Tazuna snorted in amusement. "Sure as hell didn't expect that."
Yabere nodded, agreeing, before his eyes widened in realization. "Shit. Tenba, quick, pack this up." he gestured towards the maps and charts before hurrying to make his way down the stairs.
"What's wrong, uncle?"
"He said he'll see us at that palace," Yabere explained. "I'm pretty sure he meant today."
"So?" Shrugged Tazuna. "It's not that hard to get there, not if he's expecting you."
"We're moving our offices into the palace, which means everything needs to be moved over still."
"You don't really think he meant it that way, do you?" A frown tugged at Tazuna's lips. Who dumped that sort of work on someone and expected it to be done on the same afternoon?
A pointed look answered him before Yabere slipped away. "Do you want to take that sort of chance when it comes to the Lord of Wolves? Or maybe you just want to go question him?" He shook his head. "I'm not about to risk it. I'll get some help and start moving it over; join me when you have it all packed. "
Well, Tazuna had to admit, it was a fair point. That didn't mean he had to like it.
"You heard your uncle, pack it up." Tazuna gestured to the table- already half-cleared- before taking his own leave of the meeting room. If everyone else was going to be busy moving things then Tazuna didn't have to worry about any more work today.
There was a bottle at home with his name on it.
The Wolves had been...less than pleased...by his decision to house the offices of Nami's burgeoning government within his palace, concerned about his own safety with the addition of individuals not directly associated with the Wolves or himself. His comment that he would just have to trust his safety to the Wolves stationed at the palace was perhaps a bit cruel but served as excellent motivation as they took it upon themselves to start reworking patrols and setting official shifts to ensure his protection.
It would keep them busy and help them maintain a sense of purpose so he considered it a success.
And with all the individuals in charge of Nami's prosperity under one roof he didn't have to leave his palace for the rest of the month, either.
That was good- dealing with Nami's populace was Hana's specialty, not his.
Settling into his chair he set about writing up a quick summary of the meeting he'd just had with Yabere and Tazuna and noted the fact that he'd actually attended it in a journal. With how many things he'd been forgetting in the past few weeks he thought it was a pretty decent idea to keep track of what he did- and how- each day just in case he needed to go back and review it.
An even better idea- if he did say so himself- was securing similar journals for Tsukuyomi and San- he really needed to set someone the task of coming up with a better name. Maybe like Tsukuyomi he should stick to the theme of Shinto deities?- so that there was no way he could miss something they'd done throughout the day.
Sure, he received their memories still but that didn't mean he couldn't miss things and it especially didn't keep him from forgetting.
Speaking of which…
Forcing himself up from his seat he peaked out the doorway and flagged down a wandering Wolf. "I need you to visit Sai's office and let me know that we're packing it up and bringing it to the palace. I'd appreciate it if you could gather some more off duty Wolves willing to help me move it here."
"...Go there….?"
"Yes."
"...And tell….you…?"
"That's correct." When the Wolf continued to give him a confused look from behind their mask Naruto released a sigh. You'd think by now they would be used to this sort of thing. "You'll understand when you get there."
"...Uh, yes, Tsukuyomi-Sama. Of course, Tsukuyomi-Sama." They might not know what he was talking about but they weren't going to question anything beyond confirming his orders. "I'll leave right away."
Giving a bow they turned to do just that and Naruto, confident things would be taken care of, returned to his desk with relieved groan.
Things were being moved to the palace, his work as Tsukuyomi was done, Tsukuyomi- the clone- should be finishing up their work, and he'd attended the meeting. Things should be just about done for the...oh.
Damn, nevermind.
With a shake of his head Naruto lifted up his journal and the papers documenting the meeting to reveal the stack of work San hadn't been able to finish before he dismissed him. Yeah, he knew he was forgetting something.
He set everything else to the side and pulled the- luckily- small stack towards him so he could finish up for the day only to pause as a sudden thought intruded- did details on this work go into his journal or should he enter it into San's journal when it made its way here?
The sound of someone choking on their own spit caught his attention and he looked up from the last of his work to see a Wolf standing frozen in the doorway.
"Can I help you?"
They took another few moments to stare at him, turned to look in the direction he knew to be the palace, back to him, back to the palace, and finally rested on him to stay.
"Tsukuyomi-Sama, er, you, told me to let...you...know that we're packing up these offices and moving them to the palace…..?" There was no mistaking the fact that it was more of a question than any sort of statement.
"Oh, did I?" He finished the page he was on, signing off on a request to modify standard Wolf equipment that seemed vaguely familiar- he could have sworn he'd already authorized changing the standard color for sleeping bags months ago why were they trying to change them again?- and set it with the rest of his completed work. "Very well, let's get this packed up then. I'll just have to finish my work at the palace."
"You, uh, you can just make your way there, Tsukuyomi-Sama. We'll take care of it, you don't need to help."
Naruto frowned for a second before nodding in acceptance. "Very well, thank you." Reaching up he ruffled the Wolves hair affectionately. "I'll see you all back at the palace, then."
"Yes, Tsukuyomi-Sama."
Naruto- well, Tsukuyomi- left the office, passing a half dozen off-duty Wolves who stared at him in confusion as he made his way out. Idly he wondered if these were Wolves who spent more time in Nami then in Konoha with him, it would certainly explain why they weren't used to there being multiple of him.
Though, to be fair, even those in Konoha never really got used to it.
Strange, really, they were all Shinobi and they thought he was a god- how hard was it to comprehend him being in more than one place at a time? Maybe Sai would be able to give a bit more insight into the matter when he got back.
Pausing near the back door of the offices- any opportunity to avoid the crowds on the main road was a welcome one- he pulled out his journal and made sure to jot down his question. Now the only way he'd forget to ask was if he forgot to go back and check his journal-
No one ever said his solution was perfect, it was simply the best he'd managed to come up with.
And...done. Naruto pushed away the last of the paperwork, tossing his pen onto the stack carelessly as he leaned back and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands.
Assuming Tsukuyomi was done- and he would still need to deal with those memories should that be the case- he was one day- rather, a day and a half- in and only had about a month to go.
Doable, certainly, but maybe he should have taken Sai's advice and waited for Hana to get back first. He was, perhaps, just a bit too eager to get them both out of the way for vacations so he wouldn't have to worry about it anymore and he'd be lying if he said part of the reason hadn't been because he hoped to be in Yu no Kuni right after they both got back.
It was a hell of a lot more efficient then spending an extra unplanned month here in Hanahime, that was for damn sure. Not that he didn't want to be here- it was good to have a chance to check in on his country- but staying here for extended periods of time really didn't do anyone any good when he left it in the hands of Hana and Sai anyway.
Really, he was more Daimyo of Nami no Kuni in name than anything else and that's the way he intended it to stay.
For some reason he didn't think he would actually manage to be so lucky but he could always hope and, should every attempt fail, he could always just make Hana the Daimyo and retreat to his new hidey-hole to address projects where he belonged- securely within the darkness. As Danzou had once told him, the light was no place for people like them.
A soft knock at his door- he hadn't realized it was open. Did he miss someone opening it or forget to close it earlier?- had his hands falling back to the chair and he was greeted to the sight of Temari leaning against the doorframe with a gentle smile on her face.
Despite the serenity her expression tried to portray, it was impossible not to notice the barely-contained excitement shining in her teal eyes. Maybe it was because both Karura and his son had those eyes but he was really becoming quite fond of the color.
"Good afternoon, Temari." He offered her a tired smile. "I didn't even think to check Gaara's room when I returned. Have everything to your liking?" While it was Gaara's room he knew damn well she was staying in it too. He also knew Gaara would have been happy on a couch so long as he was near him so the rearranging of furniture wasn't for his sake.
"Just about." She grinned. "It looks like you've been busy too." She nodded towards the pile of finished work on his desk. "All done?"
"For now. Was there something I could do for you?"
"..Perhaps." She avoided the question, moving to lean against his desk. "I was more thinking there might be something I could do for you, Naruto-Kun."
"Oh?"
"I did say I wanted to be able to show you just how grateful I was for that vacation." Naruto had the good sense to not bring up the fact that technically it was Sai who had authorized and arranged things for that particular visit. "Maybe I could start here?" She offered, swinging behind him and reaching for the back of his neck as she began to knead the muscle there.
"Mmm, you know, Temari, I like the way you think."
"If you think you like this, Naruto-Kun-" He could hear the salacious smile in her voice. "Just wait until you experience all the other things I've been thinking about doing to you."
Oh, yes, this was an excellent way to end the day.
He just hoped Tsukuyomi would be considerate enough to delay dispelling himself until Naruto was asleep- whenever that ended up happening.
Hopefully not any time soon.
It would be a pity to miss this just because he let himself drift off.
A rather crude map of Nami no Kuni is available at Eyazahrid dot Net if you- like myself- are more of a visual person and wanted to see what areas Naruto was talking about. I'm probably overdue a Commentary, too, so I'll try to have that up there soon as well.
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