As promised, an interlude! This overlaps with the last two chapters of Unchained, as well as the first four of Bondage.
Unchained
"But, but I'm the Clan Heir!"
His uncle meets his eyes steadily, unusually sombre in pinstriped hakama and kataginu over a deep charcoal kimono, white tabi and zōri on his feet. "You were my brother's heir, Hashirama-kun," Tokonoma-ji says calmly, "but you are not mine. You did not step up to lead the clan after my brother's death, as was your right; you did not offer me Challenge when I assumed command. Do you do so now, Hashirama-kun?"
Hashirama reels. That's not what he meant! But, but he is stronger than Tokonoma-ji! Maybe not as experienced but definitely stronger, and he's much stronger than Tōka is! And he's been arguing for peace for years, which Tōka hasn't. Why isn't he his uncle's heir? He's the best choice!
Next to her father, Tōka sets her fists on her hips, glaring at him. "Oh, so you won't Challenge your father when his choices will kill the clan within the week, but when it's my father you'll Challenge just because he's not inviting you along to the peace talks he arranged?" She demands acidly. "Is that it? You'll only make a fuss when it's something you want to do, not for the unpleasant necessities?"
Hashirama flinches. "It's not like that!" It isn't! Like he's, like it's selfish to want peace!
Tōka raises a neatly shaped eyebrow at him, expression and demeanour communicating how profoundly unimpressed she is. "Oh, isn't it? Where were you when we were writing to the Uchiha begging them not to take matters to the daimyo? Where were you when we were reworking our budget to account for having half-a-dozen fewer major earners and no longer having any income from an entire class of high-earning missions? Where were you when we were negotiating for Tōma-kun's release?" She folds her arms across her chest, shaking out the long hanging sleeves of the furisode he hasn't seen her wearing since her coming-of-age.
"I was mourning!"
His cousin's expression turns ugly, chakra hardening into jagged spikes. "You think we weren't? The clan doesn't wait on your convenience, Hashirama-san; the things that need doing have priority over personal feelings, and always will!"
"Daughter," Tokonoma-ji says quellingly; Tōka subsides, closing her mouth and turning to bow to her father:
"My apologies, Otou-sama."
His uncle nods, accepting the apology, then turns his eyes back to Hashirama: "I am leaving now to negotiate restitution to Uchiha Izuna Denka for the assault on her spouse by my late brother, which the Aburame clan have kindly agreed to mediate for us. This will likely take several days; if you do intend to Challenge me for leadership, I request that you wait until those negotiations are over." With that he turns to leave, Yagura and Zōden flanking him in identical kamishimo, and Tōka and Baasan falling in behind them in their bright kimono.
Hashirama stares after them, hurt and betrayal layered over the unease squirming restlessly in his stomach, then turns abruptly towards the Clan Hall. Maybe talking to Mito will clarify what's going on here.
Noon finds Hashirama in Mito's garden, contemplating the little tobira-bush as he goes over his wife's words over and over again. His feelings keep changing, so he keeps going back to the beginning and trying to pin down more details and consequences to better understand what has happened that he missed.
Mito had known about his no longer being Clan Heir; had known it the moment Tōka stood next to Tokonoma-ji at the announcement of Otou-san's death. She'd thought he'd known too and hadn't minded, seeing as he'd not pushed to get involved in what Tokonoma-ji was doing or to take over the duties of Clan Head.
Hashirama hadn't even thought about it. He'd been too busy reeling from Rika-ba telling him Father had been murdered to take the next step and realise that meant he could be Clan Head now, and Tokonoma-ji taking charge of the situation had been a welcome relief. It had meant he could mourn and struggle with the fact his father had been murdered by a kinsman, yet that murder had actually helped the clan. That had been hard. Murder shouldn't ever be the right thing to do, and he still holds it wasn't good, but given the time limit maybe there weren't any better options?
Maybe. It still wasn't a good thing.
Mito had a lot of other things to say too. Some of them rather pointy things, like asking why he wanted to be Clan Head at all when he very clearly didn't want to have anything to do with the responsibilities involved, such as the mission distribution and the intelligence sorting and the letter-writing to clients. Hashirama had tried to say he wasn't any good at those things, and his lovely wife had instantly countered by pointing out that if he wasn't good at those things, why did he want to take on responsibilities where those things would be required of him? He'd tried to say that as Clan Head he could delegate, but Mito had cut him off at the knees by pointing out that if he wasn't going to step up and carry out any of the duties of Headship, why did he think he deserved the associated privileges?
That was when he'd decided to retreat into her garden and think things over.
He'd initially tried to point out that as strongest warrior he should be leading the clan, but Mito had rolled her eyes and pointed out he's been strongest warrior in the clan since he was fifteen and had he been capable of leading the clan at fifteen? Which, no he hadn't. His wife is right; being the Senju's strongest warrior doesn't make him the best at doing the clan paperwork which his father was always busy with.
No: before Izuna abducted him it had mostly been Tobirama doing the clan paperwork. Didn't that mean Tobi had been the better candidate for Clan Heir?
If so, had Izuna known that? Had that been one of her reasons for abducting his little brother in the first place? Yes, Tōka-nee had said Izuna wanted peace, but she evidently wants peace that favours her clan and if she thought Tobi was the person with the skills for doing Clan Head things –which he was seeing as Father had needed to spend weeks redoing everything– then removing him from the Senju would obviously benefit the Uchiha.
Hashirama doesn't want to admit it, but if Tobi were still here while they were negotiating peace, it would be Tobi doing the paperwork. And he wouldn't think anything of it, because Tobi was always doing the paperwork for Otou-san. That's… it shouldn't have been Tobi doing the paperwork, when Tobi wasn't Clan Head or Clan Heir. Yes, Otou-san was busy and did have many duties, but so did Tobi! And if Tobi was really that good at the clan paperwork and letter-writing and mission-arranging, then shouldn't he have been Clan Heir rather than Hashirama, even if he wasn't strongest?
He doesn't like these thoughts. He'd thought he'd already faced up to all the ways he was taking advantage of his little brother and now it turns out there are more things he hadn't even thought about. He's a worse brother than he'd realised, taking advantage of Tobi like that! He keeps thinking he's found all the ways he wasn't as good a nii-san as he should be but more keep on surfacing!
Tokonoma-ji is Clan Head now, but because Otou-san was murdered it should be Hashirama as Clan Head. And Tokonoma-ji knew that but he'd still taken over himself. Which says that Ji-san doesn't think Hashirama would be any good at being Clan Head, even though the first thing Tokonoma-ji had done upon becoming Clan Head was write to the Uchiha about a ceasefire.
Hashirama stares moodily at the tobira-bush; his uncle thinks he'd be a bad Clan Head. That hurts.
It hurts a lot because looking back, Hashirama hasn't been very diligent about his lessons or doing the paperwork or any of that. He's always tried to avoid it because it's boring and he's bad at it –except the annual budgeting, he's good at the numbers and it doesn't take all that long– and it always got done anyway, so surely he doesn't need to be the person doing it?But if he was leading a squad of warriors in the field and his second-in-command kept offloading his responsibilities on somebody else on the basis that the 'somebody else' was better at them, Hashirama would demote his second-in-command and promote the other person.
Because they were doing the work, so they should get the position.
Hashirama sags; he was a bad Clan Heir. Really bad, but nobody ever pointed it out because Tobirama was making sure the work all got done and done well.
Well, Tobi did complain about him not doing the paperwork, but Hashirama had shrugged it off because Tobi was always complaining about him not doing enough but nothing bad had ever happened due to him not doing the paperwork, so Hashirama had assumed it didn't matter and was just Tobi complaining to complain.
Except then Tobi hadn't been there anymore and the paperwork hadn't got done, and Otou-san had needed to do it and Tokonoma-ji and lots of other people got dragged in to get it done, and it had taken them all ages longer than his brother had needed.
Tokonoma-ji thinks Hashirama is going to Challenge him, and Tōka does too. Hashirama did think about Challenging Ji-san right when Ji-san said he couldn't come to the peace talks, but then Tōka shouted at him and now Hashirama feels dirty inside for even thinking about it. She's right; why does he feel it's okay to Challenge his uncle over this when he refused to Challenge his father, even though his father tried to kill Tobi? Why is it different when it's his uncle, even though his uncle is actually doing things Hashirama wants to happen? He should be happy! They're finally getting peace!
Is it because it's not happening the way he wanted it to? Because it's not him negotiating it with Madara, like he's always dreamed would happen when they had both proved they were the strongest and were leading their respective clans? Is that all it is? It's better to have peace earlier! It's better that Madara has somehow convinced his father to agree to peace talks and Tokonoma-ji is willing to negotiate as well!
Is he really just upset because it's not him making the decisions?
Hashirama covers his face with his hands and whimpers; he's a terrible person!
Tōka trudges into the house, shedding her sandals in the genkan and not bothering with slippers as she enters the kitchen and slumps on one of the dining chairs, not caring how her poor posture affects her kimono. Today was hot and doing everything in layers of lined silk was stifling. And she is going to have to do it all again tomorrow and the day after, at the very least.
Her mother sets a glass of cold tea on the table; Tōka gratefully sips it, eyes closed and trying to ignore the annoying flapping sleeves of her furisode. She's worn this awful outfit all day but it did help the negotiations go smoothly, which is what matters. She felt like she was dying for most of it –being Earth Natured lets her stave off heat stroke but does not help her feel cooler and for the first time in her life she desperately wants to own a fan– but it wasn't obvious and she wasn't required to do anything except watch.
Five of them on the Senju side, while on the Uchiha side there were only Tajima and Madara; Madara at least got to pour tea, which on their side of the room was done by Obaasan.
She sits in silence as her mother bustles around the kitchen, sipping her drink and enjoying the quiet. Then her father announces himself in the genkan –Kaa-san is putting off moving into the Clan Hall for as long as possible, so Tou-san has to put the paperwork away before coming home– and she shuffles herself upright; her parents will doubtless want to discuss the negotiations over the evening meal and she needs to participate.
"Husband," her mother says warmly as her father steps into the kitchen, still in his stiff new formalwear with the winged shoulders.
"Ika-ko," her father says, eyes soft as her mother serves the meal. Tōka's never really questioned the endearment, but after two months stuck in close-quarters with Izuna and Tobirama's developing relationship, she's both curious and very strongly disinclined to ask why her father calls her mother 'Lady Cuttlefish'.
Her mother waits until they have both started eating before asking: "So what are the Uchiha demanding of us in exchange for their setting aside Izuna-san's grievance?"
Tōka's eyes drop to her food; she has finally met Uchiha Tajima –an honour she would happily have foregone– and despite all the formal dancing around and nitpicking over terms and exact terminology, his demand –Izuna's demand– for what the Senju must pay in restitution for the assault on Tobirama's person is deceptively, insidiously simple:
The clan must provide her cousin with a dowry 'as befits the son of a Clan Head, which reflects his value to the Senju.'
"Uchiha-sama requires our clan provide Tobirama-kun with a dowry," her father says, "which will be fully and solely his, goods for his home and funds and perishables valued and listed in the Uchiha accounts under his name, in a quantity solely at our discretion but that should reflect how greatly we value him."
Her mother nods, instantly grasping the layers of implication. "Too small a dowry and Tobira-kun will feel even more rejected, while also suffering from limited means," she murmurs, "yet too large and we bankrupt the clan, consigning our most vulnerable kinsmen to starvation."
"A delicate line to walk," her father agrees, "and no matter what we choose to give, we will find ourselves in straitened circumstances; we have lost our best strategist and several of our largest earners, and the abrupt change in clan leadership will also cause certain clients to withold custom until they are reassured that our command structure remains stable. To properly provide for my nephew we will have to indebt ourselves and hope that both this year's and next year's rice harvests are large enough to pay back what we owe." He sighs. "And that is assuming a lack of war-related expenses."
"Uchiha-sama wishing to ensure we have many reasons to come to terms with him in ending the feud," her mother agrees darkly, "and still more to not fight him too hard on terms, in case he decides to be offended and refuse it."
"Well, we can start by sorting through what we have that can feasibly be given to Tobirama," Tōka says firmly, "then after that start thinking about money. All his books have to be worth something and I'm pretty sure they didn't get sold." There wasn't anything in the accounts to indicate such; she went through them with her father while negotiating for Tōma's return. Much as she hates to recognise it, the Uchiha demanding they pay for him in rice was a relief; they have rice. They don't have much cash, especially not with Tōma now being banned from warrior pursuits so Tajima can't use that as an excuse to kill him later.
"No; Hashirama made off with them, along with all his clothes," Her mother agrees thoughtfully, "and I am sure we can set aside things like tea-sets and ink-stones and such, valuable and useful things, to be given to him. Honoured mother-in-law may also be able to speak to her sisters about Uzumaki goods, particularly those that are rare this far inland, for us to purchase at cost and then have valued for sale on his behalf."
"He would appreciate us handing over any of his mother's things as well," Tōka reminds her parents, "if people still have them. I'm sure if we ask around the clan everybody will be able to contribute something, either for him to keep or to be sold on his behalf for funds, and once we've sorted that out we can see how much needs to be added, to make it up to whatever you think is appropriate, Tou-san." She has no idea what kind of money they are talking about; arranging a dowry is not something that's ever been remotely necessary for her to learn. It's not something the Senju do, particularly, although she knows her mother had a dowry from her clan when she married Tou-san and that he paid a bride-price for her.
"A good thought, Tōka-chan," her father agrees, eyes far away. "I am sure my honoured mother is already plotting what of her dowry she is willing to hand on; I will visit her after dinner to discuss matters."
Tōka takes another mouthful of fried rice, deeply grateful that tomorrow's negotiations are only in the afternoon. Yes, running up to the river in the noon sunshine is going to be dire, but she will only have to spend half a day wearing stifling silks and silly sleeves as she sits decoratively in the plain wooden pavilion Hashirama grew for the negotiations, wearing a politely blank face as her father engages in formal pleasantries with Tajima, Obaasan acting as backup as they argue specifics and timings and hopefully set a date both for the handing over of her little cousin's dowry and for negotiations to begin for a proper formal peace treaty.
The clan is going to need that treaty by the time they've properly settled Tobirama with goods and funds that accurately reflect how valuable he is to them. They need it already, but further impoverishment will make it all the more urgent; they're not going to be able to afford armour, under-armour, swords, new clothing or even so much as new kunai at this rate.
How they're going to earn money when they have lost all their assassins and can't risk accepting campaigns is still very much in question; Tōka really doesn't know what they're going to do there. The small everyday missions for minor merchants and villages will enable them to scrape by and not starve, but she's not really looking forward to eating nothing but rice, egg, greens and tofu for the next two years.
If they'll even be able to afford tofu… all things considered, it's sadly unlikely. Maybe there'll be another winter mission where somebody gets paid in freshly-killed large game?
"No." Hashirama's tone is flat and his posture mulish, yet with that implacably outraged edge that says getting him to bend will take divine intervention.
"Nephew," her father says warningly.
"No! Tobi's things are, they're his things! We shouldn't be making out they're ours to count towards what the clan owes him!"
Actually Hashi has a point there; Tōka glances at her father as he stills, considering this. "You believe we should hand over his personal property separately."
Hashirama nods firmly. "Along with all his money," her cousin says, tone taking on that commanding edge that always surfaces when he's absolutely sure he's right; "he earned that money, Ji-san! The clan already took a cut; what's left is his. It's wrong to claim otherwise, just because Otou-sama declared him dead. His money is his and so are his books and clothes and other things, and trying to use them to make it up to him for what Otou-sama did isn't right."
Tōka winces internally; her cousin is entirely correct, unfortunately. The thing is, Tobirama's sunk a lot of money into books over the years, so their value is fairly significant, and he also didn't spend his earnings to the degree that most other warriors do –he wasn't interested in ephemeral luxuries like fine foods or theatre or in distractions like gambling or alcohol or prostitutes– so extracting his savings from the clan's main fund is going to hurt.
But it is the right thing to do. Those things do belong to Tobirama, so he should receive them regardless of dowry. After all, if he'd eloped he'd have taken all those things with him.
Her father sighs. "Hashirama, doing that will make matters even harder and more expensive for our clan."
Sensing weakness, her cousin pulls out the shiny doe eyes. "I promise I will do everything I can to help everybody pull through this, Ji-san."
"Then you can pack up all your brother's things for delivery," her father says dryly, "and put some serious thought into how we can get hold of additional funds without either compromising the ceasefire or getting entangled in somebody else's war, Hashirama; money doesn't grow on trees and right now we can't afford to take on missions that might cost us in equipment or lives."
"Money might not grow on trees, Honoured Uncle," Mito says, coming up behind her husband, "but certain types of wood are highly valued. If my husband could acquire some seeds or small pieces to work from..?"
Hashirama perks up like a hunting dog given a scent. Tōka's sure Mito already has schemes lined up for where and how they could sell that wood, or else she wouldn't be suggesting it. Hopefully the profit margin is generous enough for this to count as a get-rich-quick scheme; the clan could use a few of those.
"Acquiring samples is a job for lower-ranking warriors," Tōka's father says firmly, "as they are less likely to draw untoward attention to themselves. You know your brother's property, Hashirama; you make sure it is all packed up to return to him. I will talk to my mother about luxury hardwoods and see about arranging some courier missions accordingly."
Hashirama bows deeply, radiating delight. "Yes Ji-san; thank you, Ji-san. I'll start at once!" He ducks down to kiss his wife, then dashes back into her wing of the Clan Hall to set about keeping his promise. Mito lingers.
"I have a range of younger and more mobile connections in Uzushio than my honoured grandmother-in-law," she says in response to her Clan Head's inquiring nod, "and certain of them would enjoy the challenge this presents, as well as the opportunities for creative problem-solving."
Tōka guesses that's polite-speech for 'I am related to a bunch of hell-raisers who would love an excuse to rob a few annoying enemies blind and have somewhere out of the country to fence the goods to.'
"I will not be held responsible for the consequences of your friends' and kin's choices, Mito-san," her father says lightly, "but I will gladly barter for goods with our coastal kin. Good timber for boats is something we can certainly offer, although our rice stores are currently somewhat depleted."
Mito inclines her head, smiling faintly. "I will write to my cousins and see what they say." She vanishes back into the building, closing the door behind her.
"That didn't go terribly," Tōka offers into the quiet that follows, broken only by distant birdsong and the muffled thumps of Hashirama being energetic indoors.
"Hashi-kun has a good heart, for all his complete unsuitability to politics and leadership," her father replies mildly.
"You think we should consult him more often," Tōka deduces as they turn back towards the set of rooms her father has claimed as the new main office. The room her uncle died in is still being cleaned and aired, but is probably going to end up being used for storage, or else as a guest space.
"He wasn't wrong that it would not have made a good impression on Izuna Denka to present her with her spouse's property and claim it was ours to give," her father agrees, "which we should have considered; his moral high-horse saved us from an unfortunate loss of face."
"Might have been a trap," Tōka points out grumpily; retrospectively it seems rather likely. This whole dowry mess is just riddled with ways they could get things horribly wrong. Traps and political implications they have no experience with, so don't see until they trip over them.
"Which we have now avoided," her father continues calmly, "and Mito-san's suggestion of exploiting the timber market is not only a good one, it is something Hashirama can provide personally. It will do him good to bear the cost of his morals rather than letting the price fall on others." He pauses. "But no letting him sneak off to gamble, Tōka-chan; I don't care how good he is at cheating when he has a specific goal in mind, he's terrible at allaying suspicion and always ends up losing half his winnings in throwing others off. And it would look disrespectful, given the ongoing negotiations."
"I'll tell him," Tōka promises; Hashirama loses consistently and terribly when playing for fun –his luck is frankly appalling– but he's also rather unnervingly good at reading his fellow gamblers when there's something he genuinely cares about on the line, as well as at cheating people blind without quite looking like he's cheating them.
Hashirama's admitted freely to her before now that he doesn't mind losing at regular gambling because it makes people like him, which is so very Hashirama she did in fact hit him for saying it. He laughed at her though, which says he knew she was frustrated because she's seen him clean out a casino while playing the fool –with a few other kinsmen helping out on the side as props– but never does it unless it's actually required for a mission.
Tobirama's much better at card-counting and the technical practicalities of beating the odds, but Hashirama's the one who can get people to utterly dismiss him as a threat, which is a very neat trick for such a powerful shinobi. If it wasn't his go-to strategy for all things political and complicated that he doesn't want to put more than the absolute minimum of effort into, she wouldn't have made a point of replacing him as Senju Heir; as it is she feels he'll do better in an advisory and supporting role. He'll have more freedom to act as he pleases, and his choices will reflect less harshly on the rest of the clan.
However that still leaves her to do the heavy lifting. Sighing, Tōka falls in behind her father; there's always more to do, but at least she feels like they're making progress now.
The relentless rain rattles steadily on the roof overhead, a steady rhythm filling Rinzōma's ears as he carefully sorts through all the crates and baskets of carefully-packaged junk filling half the upstairs rooms of his house.
The house he had shared with his parents and brother when he was a toddler, but then his father had died on the battlefield when he was four –Rinzōma honestly barely remembers him– his mother's luck ran out last autumn when she had the misfortune to run into an Uchiha sensor while carrying out a sabotage mission against somebody else entirely and now Kyōzōma is dead too, brutally crushed by an Uchiha battlefield technique the assassin had never been trained to withstand. While attempting to kill Tobirama-kun in his sleep.
Rinzōma isn't sure he'll ever be able to forgive his brother for that. He was the clan's youngest assassin and also the most promisingly gifted; he had refusal rights and had chosen not to exercise them, despite knowing that it had been an assassination mission into the Uchiha Compound that had been the death of Aunt Benibana eleven years ago.
No Senju has come home from an assassination mission in Uchiha territory in eighty years. And his brother still chose to take it. Though part of Rinzōma has to wonder how much of that was Kyōzōma thinking he could break that eighty-year streak and how much was wanting to protect Tōma-kun, who while old enough for the field certainly hadn't been old enough for that, no matter what Aunt Ajisai's brother had thought.
Tōma-kun did finally come home breathing, after an extortionate ransom in good rice was paid and with the weight of being barred from the field ever after so that Uchiha Tajima cannot contrive a way to kill him later, but Kyōzoma did not.
So here Rinzōma is, in the house he was raised in that now echoes with unwanted silence, sorting through a lifetime –several lifetimes in truth; some of these trophies are older than he is– of stolen goods that were either too recognisable, too valuable or too potentially useful to fence, looking for things he can contribute towards Tobirama-kun's dowry. And, as he browses, planning how to suggest to Aunt Ajisai that she move in with him, both to fill the space and also to ensure nobody suggests that, as a single man with no family and no sweetheart he is planning to marry, he should properly be living in a smaller house.
He's probably going to be contributing a lot to that dowry, but he doesn't begrudge it. It's not like he's using any of this and better it profit the clan than sit here mouldering until an enterprising mouse manages to get in and rip it all up for bedding. Some of it will probably get sold to the Uzumaki through Sunami-obaasan –the more distinctive items in particular– but the rest will be valued and then added directly to Tobirama's dowry, for him to dispose of or find a use for.
So far he's found and set aside a rack of beautiful swords –how his mother kept those out of the clan armoury he's not sure, maybe they're distinctive or famous– a surprising number of scroll paintings and calligraphy works by famous artists and monks, a full dozen carefully boxed tea bowls all in a cabinet together with certifications of provenance –some of those had made him wince at how tricky selling them on was going to be– a tansu of kimono he'd not even realised were here that he's going to have to sort through because he suspects they're as much costumes worn by past curse-brokers as trophies, an entire cabinet full of aesthetic okimono suitable for displaying during a tea ceremony, a lot of netsuke –had an ancestor been a collector? Stranger things have happened– and, right at the back in a sandalwood chest that is a prestige piece in its own right, a glamorous oiran's wardrobe in pseudo-courtly finery from over a century back.
It seems his mother's family lore of a great-great-grandfather stealing himself a wife –and getting paid to do so by a wealthy merchant who wished to spite a fellow wealthy merchant who fancied himself in love with the oiran in question– is not entirely fanciful. Who knew.
There's also a range of musical instruments, fancy horse tack, lacquerware boxes of various types and sizes, inrō, incense bowls and tea ceremony accessories, vases, rare art prints, beautiful inlayed calligraphy brushes, jewellery, various types of dolls, brocaded obi and a box full of carved incensewood, horn and ivory fans, most of which are either prominently marked with family crests or are limited editions commemorating specific events, making them almost unsaleable.
Some of these things taking up space in his house –like the steel-grey pearl the size of a child's fist– are extremely valuable in monetary terms, but were impossible to fence at the time because they are too distinctive and only have value in a niche market where everybody knows everybody else. Quiet a lot of the art falls into this category, but will do well in the dowry because nobody is going to ask an Uchiha where they got a particular ink painting by a venerated master, even though that painting mysteriously vanished from a wealthy merchant's tokonoma a decade or more ago.
"Rinzō-san?"
"In here." Maki showed up on his doorstep two days after the funerals, the warrior humbling herself to the thief in pursuit of a career change that will let her continue to put food on the table despite the very likely peace treaty between the Senju and Uchiha clans. It had not been a hard choice; Maki already has some practice in masking her chakra from being on Tobirama's battle-squad and Rinzōma had been aware even then that the clan would need all the income they could get, to make up for the loss of so many high-earning shinobi.
It has never been the warriors that bring in the most money; the real income is in assassination, theft, sabotage, espionage and the other more discreet disciplines. Warriors are flashy and very good advertising, but the cost of maintaining armour, weapons and fitness –and the ever-present risk of injury– eats up most of what income they bring in, and the rest is spent on supporting their families, along with the families of closely-related dead warriors.
She's good, honestly; no pride to wear down, a talent for blending in and a wide repertoire of utility jutsu rather than a fondness for flashy techniques that are useless off a battlefield and generally inconvenient on it too. He's training up his baby cousins already, but an older student will be ready to help shoulder the workload much sooner than six-year-old Tenka and two-year-old Hyōka will, while also freeing up some of his time to do more teaching.
He should probably ask if Tōma's interested too; a thief doesn't need to carry a sword.
Maki sidles nimbly between the closely-packed boxes and furniture, leaning in to peer over his shoulder at his latest find. "Is that a cut gemstone go set?"
"Yes," Rinzōma sighs, closing the two boxes of outrageously tacky and excessively costly Go stones and passing them back to her over his shoulder, then carefully picking up the go board, which was carved from a massive quartz geode. Some people really do have far too much money and absolutely no taste. "We'll carry this down and set it to be valued; if the worst comes to the worst we can sell it to a gem carver for raw materials."
"It would be a service to humanity," Maki mutters, but does set the boxes on top of the baskets of other assorted higher-value and probably not too traceable items he's set aside so far and carry them out of the room.
Rinzōma grabs the carrying case of famous ink paintings on his way past; even if the Uchiha can't sell them, Tobirama will at least be able to enjoy them.
Yagura sets down another armful of elderly scrolls on the desk beside the desk Tokyōma-kun is reading at on this stifling summer afternoon; these scrolls would be thick with dust if the clan archives had not been Sealed against dust by some practical long-ago Uzumaki bride. Tokonoma-sama's son is currently scouring the archives for details of the Senju's previous dealings with the Fire Daimyo –any Fire Daimyo– so that when the time for the negotiations with the Uchiha comes around in the autumn the clan will not find themselves caught between obligations.
It is practical, intelligent and refreshingly clear-sighted; Tokyōma-kun has really grown as a person since Mito-san took him on as a student, taking to her lectures on the scientific method and critical thinking like a bird to flight and applying them to absolutely everything. There are, inevitably, mistakes –this is a skill like any other and there are always missteps when turning your hand to something new– but the underlying determination is heartening to see.
Yagura has not seen Tokyōma-kun this pleased to be learning since Ōka-sama deemed him to 'lack the required nerves' for chakra healing. That week had been… it had been a bad week, and Yagura had honestly appreciated Tokyōma-kun's shaky but repeated attempts to contradict his aunt, to try and offer alternatives despite both Yagura and his sister knowing what was coming.
That was three years ago. Tsuwabuki still lights incense for Fuji-chan, mute at three years old and inclined to stare vacantly into space rather than play with other children; Tokyōma-kun had tried to argue that Tobirama had turned out fine, but the other medics had been adamant: Tobirama is half-Hatake and Fuji-chan was entirely Senju.
Yaguma had invited the teenager to the funeral, then watched as Tokyōma-kun retreated to the pharmacy, hands and tongue trembling more than they ever had before. He'd tried to impress on the younger warriors that it is dishonourable to bully those not training for the battlefield, but there he is one voice speaking against many.
Or he was, until recently.
Yagura catches one scroll that tries to make an escape; Tokyōma-kun looks up from his reading. "What this time?"
Yagura divides the pile into three sections; one containing the two large scrolls, the other two mixes of smaller ones. "Tax records," he taps the large scrolls, "Records of missions commissioned by the Fire Daimyo" –even now they keep those listed separately– "and official copies of amendments to laws that the clan are subject to." So far as Yagura is aware, that last category is not something Butsuma kept up with; Yagura is honestly unsure if Horōma-sama –his father– kept up with it either. It is however a very sensible precaution to take, and one Tokonoma-sama is likely to reinstate once they manage to work out when those records stop, thereby revealing how far back they will have to go in the Daimyo's Archives and how much they will have to spend commissioning official copies of legal documents.
"Tax records first," Tokyōma says firmly, absently wiping his brow, "then the legal amendments. I need to ask Otou-sama about the Senju's original treaty with the Daimyo; I really hope it's not in the archives somewhere."
Yagura winces; he hopes so too. They are very definitely going to need that document for the upcoming treaty proceedings, but its contents are a matter for the Senju Head only and Yagura's never even seen it, let alone read it.
Hopefully it didn't get lost during one of the clan's unstable periods; that would be a disaster.
Well, not a complete disaster, but they'd have to go to the capital and request a copy of it, and that would hardly be discreet. It would also prompt other people to read the damn thing, which might bring to light further violations of protocol the clan is currently unaware they are committing. At best.
However, that's not entirely relevant to why he agreed to scour the archives for Tokyōma-kun today, when it's hot and humid and the archives are the last place any sane person would want to be. It being so suffocatingly close now the rains have ended, most people have moved their working hours to the early morning and late evening; something Tokyōma-kun cannot do, as he needs the bright daylight for his reading. There is therefore nobody within earshot, and few of the clan's sensors are as attuned to mood as Tobirama. Those that do all lack his range.
Tobirama, who is no longer here and will never return.
"Tokyōma-kun."
"Yes, Yagura-san?" The teenager glances up from the newly-opened scroll of tax records, scrawling an incomprehensible note on a scrap sheet of paper.
"Have you considered apprenticing yourself to your mother?"
Tokyōma-kun stills. "N-n-no, Yagura-san, why would I?"
Yagura does not accuse. He does not remind the young man who has abruptly twisted around to face him that Yagura all-but-collided with him in the hallway of the Clan Hall when Yagura was on his way to carry out his self-assigned assassination of Senju Butsuma. Does not point out that Tokyōma-kun was regularly strong-armed into making tea for his now-late uncle, on the basis that, 'he may as well do something useful for once.'
These things do not need to be said.
"Your mother is a very able kunoichi despite her physical weakness," Yagura says calmly. "Because of it, in fact; she has made it her weapon. You have her fine mind as much as her more delicate constitution; I am sure you could make good use of her teachings." Sumi-san is a Kurama and therefore an illusionist, but she is also a very able poisoner. Her extensive teachings on what can safely be eaten and what cannot make that much very clear, at least to those who care to pay attention.
"I am learning from Mito-san."
"A man may have more than one teacher."
Silence.
"I believe she is also finding her family's various pressing commitments a little burdensome," Yagura continues, careful to keep his tone gentle. "When did you last eat at home, Tokyōma-kun?"
The teenager's brow crinkles in thought. "Yest– no, the day befo– last week?" He does not seem too sure of the answer himself.
"She may not be Senju but she is still your mother," Yagura says, "and she experienced much of life in the wider world before marrying your father." An emotional appeal and a practical one as well, so Tokyōma-kun can choose which one he prefers to heed.
Tokyōma-kun rolls his eyes, shoulders finally settling again. "Fine, Yagura-san; I will wrap up early and have dinner with Kaa-san today, since it will make you stop nagging me."
Yagura hopes that he will also talk to his mother; it is not like Sumi-san will care that Tokyōma-kun was the one to do most of the work in killing Butsuma. And Tokyōma-kun does need to talk to someone about his first kill, for his own sake. "Please give her my best."
Tokyōma stares at him for a brief moment, then sighs. "As you say, Yagura-san."