Chapter 49: A new leader
Finally...
At last, his chakra had recovered enough to make the proper summon, and now, the three giant animals stood on the same battlefield once more. Though, considering they now stood on opposite sides, Jiraiya wouldn't have complained if Orochimaru had been a minute or two too late in calling the leader of the snake summons.
"Manda and Orochimaru, Katsuyu and Tsunade...long time no see." Going by Gamabunta's unamused tone, the toad was well aware of what was going on. "What, planning some special reunion, eh Jiraiya?"
"Fool! Don't crack stupid jokes when I call you for a tough job." Especially now that they had the chance to finally deal with the rogue Sannin. "It's about time to settle an old enmity...we're going to defeat Orochimaru, now."
"Hey, Orochimaru!" The snake summon's hiss was threatening. "What the hell are you thinking?! Summoning me here in this lame excuse for a land!" Boy, Manda's temper was as bad as he remembered. "You want me to eat your sorry ass!"
"Please, Manda-sama, we'll thank you generously later on..." Kabuto attempted to speak.
"Who do you think you're talking to?! Keep your dirty gas bags shut, stupid brat!" Seriously, for that man to pick the one summon who demanded sacrifices. "You'd better prepare at least 100 sacrifices after this, you got that?!"
At least, he figured, the giant snake's rage was giving them some time to take a breath. A quick glance to his left reassured him that Tsunade was sending Naruto away from the front lines. Hopefully, the boy would be safe from any collateral damage this fight was sure to create.
"Orochimaru...you adopted an evil way that is too much to keep ignoring." In a way, Jiraiya himself was responsible for letting this go for so long. "We're no longer comrades."
"Comrades? Don't make me laugh,"
"Today is the last time there will be three of the legendary Sannins." Clearly, Tsunade felt the same as him.
Silence reigned for a heartbeat. The tension of a situation that finally reached the breaking point, weighting on them all as the last remnant of their bond was cut at last.
Katsuyu moved first, the giant slug sending a spray of acidic poison that was quickly dodged as Manda twisted itself around her, jaws opening, readying to deliver a fatal blow. No words were needed as Gamabunta rushed towards them, sword on hand, barely stopping the snake from biting Tsunade's summon...that quickly divided into hundreds of smaller copies of itself, leaving the slug to escape the snake's hold.
"Tsunade!" he yelled. "Get away from there!"
Without Katsuyu to keep Manda busy, the snake was on the move again, racing towards him and the toad boss. Taking the sword away from them in the process.
"Bunta!" He had to act fast. "Gimme some oil!"
The Katon surged in a rush of chakra, flames catching his own summon's oil creating a giant inferno that consumed it all in front of them. But tension refused to leave his body. This was Orochimaru they were dealing with. If killing him was that easy, Sandaime would still be alive.
The dried skin in the middle of the flames proved him right.
Rapidly moving soil, erupting upwards as it aimed at them, betrayed the snake's underground position. Too fast to get out of the way. But Gamabunta still had a move. Limbs raised just in time to block the...tail...
Shit.
Where was the head?
The crack of the rock breaking apart behind him was loud. Too loud. Fuck, what jutsu could stop him now? There was no time to think. No time to weave seals. There was just no time...
Manda's muffled shriek was somehow even louder as his summon's forgotten sword pierced the snake's open mouth, impaling it to the ground and forcefully closing it. Immobilizing it all at once..and he could see his pigtailed teammate fall down on top of the grip of the blade. The impact pushed it down even further...geez, he'd forgotten about Tsunade's monstrous strength in the heat of the moment.
"Keep it shut!"
Unsurprisingly, Orochimaru didn't waste his time, using his unsettlingly large tongue to move once more. Wrapping it around Tsunade's neck in what had to be a particularly stupid move that confirmed the snake-obsessed Sannin was truly in pain. Otherwise, there was no chance the man would have thought he could easily choke the same woman who'd just effortlessly lifted a massive blade like it was nothing.
The only kunoichi from the Sannins who was a medic.
And ridiculously strong.
And currently, said woman, was pissed.
"Let's end this!"
With a shout, the blonde pulled on the pink appendage. Using it as a rope to force the man to move towards her. A straight punch to the jaw. Though Orochimaru's tongue was still wrapped around her neck in what had to be one of the grossest things Jiraiya had seen in his long years, there was no denying this was the end.
"How dare you shame me like this..." Manda's hiss could barely be understood. "I'd rip you to pieces myself, but...with a hole in my mouth, I can't swallow a thing. Until we meet again. Prepare yourself for death."
With that, the snake vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the two humans on top of it at gravity's mercy. At least, the toad-sennin figured, that seemed to have done the trick to release the medic from their former teammate's tongue.
"Tsunade..." Orochimaru's words were barely understandable. "Even if you don't cooperate with me, there is still one option left...one more way to way to revive my arms." Before Jiraiya could prevent it, the traitor's assistant was kneeling by his side. "I will surely destroy Konoha. Till we meet again, my friends, Tsunade, Jiraiya."
Like the cowards they were, the two sunk into the ground.
A resigned sigh left him at the sight of the barren land in front of him. The constant hits had broken one of his ribs and a leg. Trying to pursue them right now would be useless, and judging from the blond's panting, she wasn't in a better condition either. Dismissing their own summons, the pair of old friends made their way to where they could see their respective protegees waiting for them.
A flash of blue on Naruto's chest caught his eye.
"Hmph, Tsunade," Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head. "You still suck at betting, as always."
There was a soft look on those caramel eyes that the old man hadn't seen since before that fateful mission that sent his friend's life spiraling as she looked at the young, overachiever genin. Well, it looked like his instincts were still working just fine; bringing Naruto with him was for the best in more than one way. Just as the toad Sannin was about to open his mouth once more, he caught it, the sudden shivers in Tsunade's form.
"Now, the after-effects..." her voice was accepting, calm.
The henge that kept her looking young faded, showing skin that was a bit too wrinkled for the age she actually had. Was this...the price for that technique? That miraculous regeneration that had brought her back from what had to be the brink of death?
"Heh, if I rest a bit, I'll revert back to my youthful self." Tough as nails, that woman, and still thinking of others first. "Let's rest in the town until Naruto wakes up, then we'll head back to Konoha."
"Tsunade..."
"Don't refer to me with that name. I'm changing my title now."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"You do realize no one is going to notice, right?" Sasuke's question was more to fill the silence than anything else.
"I know."
Still, the girl took one of the taller white flowers out of the vase and observed it for a second before flicking her wrist to place a thin blade in her hand. With a swish, the stem was severed. Old childhood habits were hard to get rid of, it seemed, and Kagome had been taught to always perform anything she was about to do to perfection. With or without an audience.
Flower arrangement wasn't one of her favorite activities, but it was one of the female-only mandatory classes from the academy. It was also something the Uchiha matriarch made sure to have her practice since she could grab the flowers without fearing she'd place them in her mouth. It made sense, the girl supposed, since it didn't require anything other than care and patience. Flower language had also been included in those lessons. A bit of herbology had also been thrown in, with Mikoto pointing out what decorative plants contained toxins and poisons. With a bit of tweaking, even a common houseplant could become a useful tool in the more subtle assassination missions. Now that she thought about it, nothing they were ever allowed to do as kids had no practical uses for their future training.
The girl swallowed back a huff, yet another show of the Uchiha's clan's priorities when it came to the children in their care.
"And here we...!" A cheerful familiar voice faded for a second. "Ah...Kagome-chan...Sasuke..."
Right...she was used to Naruto's presence. It was almost a constant in their lives in so many ways, the Higurashi heiress eventually learned to tune him out. Much the same as she did with Sasuke unless purposefully looking for any of them.
Azure eyes scanned the blond, making sure she could see no injuries before simply pushing away the chair in her way as she all but tackled her childhood friend, arms wrapping around him in a tight grip. Of course he was fine; he'd been with one of the Sannins, one who'd clearly shown an interest in keeping the boy breathing. But as much as she'd tried to keep her worry in the back of her mind, it did nothing to take it away. And now that the prankster was in front of her...as good of an actress as she'd become...Kagome's emotions had always run wild.
"I shouldn't have yelled at you," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, I really am."
"Ah, no, no." Even without seeing, she could feel the prankster beginning to panic. "I shouldn't have said that in the first place."
"No, you were just angry; I know you didn't mean it." Pulling back, the girl scanned him once more. "Did you get hurt? You've been eating well, righ Are you sure you're alright?"
"Like the moron's injuries can last more than a week," Sasuke scoffed.
"That just means I'm stronger than you, bastard!" In a heartbeat, those two fell back into a familiar rhythm.
"So, these are your teammates, huh?"
Azure eyes flew towards the doorframe, falling on a blonde pigtailed woman with...gifted and unashamed feminine attributes who was watching them with an amused smirk on her lips. Behind her, a shorter woman also smiled at their interaction.
Shit.
This new set of eyes was truly messing with her if she'd failed to notice the extra pair trailing behind Naruto. No, she couldn't panic. This was still fine. Showing genuine emotions could have people finding one's weakness, but showing her genuine concern could work for the best in the long run. Besides, as much as the girl endeavored in pushing back her own worries during the last few days, that itch remained there. Even knowing Jiraiya-sama had already shown himself more than capable of keeping the prankster safe did little to soothe her anxiety. Sannin or not, the man had quite a number of vices that could easily distract him, even if just for a moment. And from her own experience...well, a moment was all that was truly needed.
"Oh, my apologies." With a bow, the Higurashi heiress made sure to sound ashamed. "My name is Higurashi Kagome, and this is Uchiha Sasuke."
"Heh, no need for..."
"This is Tsunade-baachan." Uncaring as always, Naruto completely ignored common manners. "Although she may look like that, she's actually a 50-year-old hag. Oh, she's the next Hokage too."
"Tch, what did I say about calling me that, you brat!" There was more annoyance than anger in her voice as she slapped the blond on the head. "I'm Senju Tsunade; Shizune is with me."
"I mean, you're lying to everyone with that henge..." Naruto mumbled.
"It's truly an honor to meet you, Tsunade-sama." With a deeper bow, Kagome made sure to keep her mask from slipping.
"Geez, could you not learn some manners from her?" The renowned Sannin groaned before turning to look at the other two teens. "Same here. Heard a lot of things about you on our way back."
"Oh, dear, Naruto-kun can exaggerate a bit sometimes."
Their new Hokage just laughed. Good-natured and light, there was none of the barely hidden disgust she'd seen in the faces of most villages, even though the chances of Tsunade-sama not knowing who Naruto was were null. In fact, Kagome was quite sure there was a certain fondness in the woman's eyes when looking at the prankster. Good, this was great, actually. The Godaime Hokage caring about Naruto meant that even after they were gone, there would still be someone capable of looking out for his interests. Someone with enough power to keep the Council away.
"Take the praise, if only for the patience dealing with the brat requires." The woman hurried to speak before the prankster could open his mouth once more. "In any case, where's my patient?"
Allowing the two women to enter the room, Kagome took some time to properly observe them. There was a clear change in the pigtailed blonde as she neared the bed, her aura becoming almost commanding. A signal of confidence gained by years of experience, behind the woman, Shizune waited for instructions; similar to Kagome's own interaction with her team, there was an old established trust in their motions. Whoever this Shizune person was, it was evident she was a trusted companion of the new Hokage and probably someone well experienced with medical ninjutsu too.
"Perfect physical health..."Tsunade-sama spoke softly. "So, this was caused by..."
"Genjutsu." Sasuke finished for her.
"Right."
"So...there was nothing to be done, then?" There was a slight worry as the prankster turned towards her.
"No..." Despite genuinely attempting to see if what little she knew could help, she got nothing. "Most medical ninjutsu works with physical injuries, but this kind of genjutsu works more on a neurological and psychological area. Right now, it's a locked pattern of thoughts that are keeping Kakashi-sensei repeating those...dreams. The brain is an extremely delicate organ though, trying to alter it directly is something most people wouldn't even dare to try."
Shaking her head, the girl forced a smile to her lips. Dwelling on this was not a good idea. As much as she'd pushed away the anger at having their world destroyed by Itachi's hands, this was a topic that always caused nothing but a confusing mess of hurt, anger, and worry. It didn't get much better after finding all those notebooks. On one hand, she understood the reasoning behind his actions. They had to be knocked out during the attack, and for them to follow his script, then Itachi would need to make sure they were willing to kill him. But it didn't take the pain away, nor did it make the nightmares vanish...or the guilt of being so weak that they needed to be protected. Sure, they were literal children, but knowing it was a nonsensical thought made no difference.
"Oh, you've researched medical treatment on ninjutsu?" Tsunade-sama glanced her way.
"Yes, well," Kagome made sure her tone remained humble. "At my level, there isn't really anything I can actually do about it, but I felt I should at least learn as much as I can."
Sharp azure caught the slight wince on the older woman's expression. The realization of what the words implied seemed to catch up a little too late. With an embarrassed cough, the new Hokage continued her explanation. "Yes, umm, it's as you said. Trying to directly affect something so delicate is something that's usually not recommended, but it's not impossible. With the right guidance, chakra turned into electric pulses can gently disturb the patterns you want to sop. That said..." Chakra pooled on the woman's hands with ease. "I've never actually seen your family's medical jutsus; however, those may have an easier time...or they might be no use at all."
That was...blunt.
Almost brutally honest, and definitely to the point.
If this was to be the Sannin's approach to the rest of her obligations as Godaime, then maybe the Council would start to lose some of the influence it clearly held. Surprisingly, it was almost refreshing to hear such bluntness when compared to the endless pandering she usually heard.
Wavering between replying or allowing the silence continue, the Higurashi heiress made her way back to where Sasuke still sat on the windowsill, her hand immediately looking for his even as she leaned on the drawer that sat between it and the bed. Kakashi-sensei's slow blinking and Naruto's loud cheer made the decision for her. The legends, it would seem, were not exaggerating about the woman's skill.
"Good morning, sensei," she smiled at the man.
"Ka...gome...?" Before the man could speak again, the blond jumped on him. "Huff, and Naruto, too."
"We're all here, sensei," Sasuke grunted his agreement behind her. "We're all safe too."
"Hmph, you were beaten by only two enemies?" Tsunade-sama's tone was almost mocking. "I thought you were a genius."
Yes, definitely harsh and blunt.
Though groggy as their teacher was, Kagome wasn't sure the insult even registered. It was still a smoother wake-up than Sasuke or herself had after being subjected to that same genjutsu.
"Who?"
"We have to celebrate!" Naruto ignored their teacher's confusion. "We're going to Ichiraku's!"
"Again, you're the only one who thinks celebrating is synonymous with that place, moron."
"It's the perfect food, and you know it!"
"It's just ramen." Truly, the ease those two fell back into their routine was outstanding.
"Just ra..." Naruto gaped. "Do you even know what you're talking about?!"
"I don't think it would be a bad idea, actually." Then again, Kagome supposed she also fell into her role without any issues. "After all, Naruto-kun has been away for a while now. Of course, we could also eat at the compound, but it's not my turn to cook."
"You're spoiling him too much."
Maybe she was, out of the four people involved in this whole celebration, only the prankster was ever this excited to eat ramen. Time, however, was slipping by them, and she could feel the days they had left in this place getting shorter and shorter. Letting the boy tug them to his favorite restaurant wasn't too big of a sacrifice to make; if it made him happy, the Higurashi heiress would side with him. Especially now that they also knew the danger that was looming over him.
"Well, it's not like we'll get food poisoning or anything."
"Oh yeah!" Naruto jumped once more. "I got real lucky, so this time is on me!"
Lucky...?
Something told her there was a lot to talk about as they caught up with the blond. As he babbled about how his new jutsu (and when had that one happened?) was strong enough to beat Kabuto of all people, the heiress wasn't sure she wanted to know. Worry rose within her along with a hundred questions. Yes, they definitely had a lot to catch up on.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Nothing was quite the same, and yet, nothing had really changed.
The Hokage tower was essentially the same as it had always been. Even as the city around it seemed to have grown just as much as the people walking on the streets had changed, she could recognize it with a glance. And yet, Jiraiya was every bit as irritatingly obnoxious as he'd always been
Tsunade knew her smile had to look strained to the bright golden eyes of both Taisho heads in front of her.
Had the annoying spymaster considered telling her from the beginning that the independent clan had shown up uninvited and almost unannounced, well...it may not have made too much of a difference to her initial reaction. But it certainly would've made her speed up their travel back to the village. Instead, she'd given in to her wish of spending a few more carefree days laughing at Naruto's silly antics. Because yes, they were clearly dramatized to hell and back to the point that sometimes his stories bordered on the nonsensical, but they beat having to deal with whatever paperwork came with her new position.
Dealing with the Taishos was not, however, the same as being buried in boring paperwork that could be ignored a day or two.
Oh, Tsunade knew sooner rather than later, she'd been forced to meet with them for the sake of renewing the treaties, but it usually took a couple of days for the head and his entourage to make the trip. Finding out that not only their leaders were inside Konoha by the time they arrived, but in fact, they'd been here for over a month had not been a pleasant surprise. Because apparently, the Taishos just suddenly got the urge to attend the Chuunin Selection Exams with what were probably overqualified shinobis. Being told that little nugget of information as Jiraiya intercepted her just as she was about to enter the Hokage tower after checking on her second, and admittedly far more seriously injured, patient, had made the experience all the harder to swallow.
"Ehem, I apologize for the delay in the proceedings." Tsunade's smile was still strained.
"Oh, there's no need to worry at all." Taisho Kimi waved her hand in a friendly gesture. "After all, Hi country is beautiful this time of the year, plus it's given us quite the excuse to escape paperwork for a little while."
The head, the actual member of the main bloodline, simply chuckled good-naturedly. No matter how hard she'd tried o run away from being a shinobi, old habits died hard; once you knew how to listen, there was no chance at remaining ignorant. The Taisho clan was always led by the same family, and the head was a force to be reckoned with regardless of the generation, and their carefully selected partners often helped in one area or another. This generation, however, was said to have two clan heads instead of one. Capable of matching her lawful husband, the silver-haired kunoichi in front of her held every bit of power within the clan as the member of the main house. Their interaction was an interesting one. With the rumors of the matriarch's delight for the more...carnal aspects of the flesh so well known, it was hard to believe there was no animosity between them. She failed to notice any ever since they entered the office, though.
So the power was actually shared in equal measures...so she'd have to be doubly careful with every word she spoke.
"As regrettable the circumstance that brought you here, we do hope for our cooperation to continue."
"We offer our most sincere condolences."
Without missing a beat, Taisho Toga followed up. "Sarutobi-dono was a man of honor rarely seen."
Chestnut eyes closed as Tsunade forced herself to take a breath. There was no denying that it was good to be back, and she was glad to have taken over the title of Godaime, but now that bitterness wasn't numbing her heart, the reminder of why it was now of all times that she'd become Hokage stung. She'd follow her own advice, however, and accept the praise in her master's place.
"Yes, I've been told you granted him one final request. You have my gratitude."
"There's nothing to thank darling, in fact, we wish more could've been done." Kimi's voice was the exact tone of regretful and compassionate.
Well then, it would seem Tsunade still remembered how to play politics, considering she managed to keep her derisive snort quiet. As if a clan that lived in such a precarious balance with the big Hidden villages would ever not collect on pending favors when the situation warranted it. Still, considering the picture Jiraiya painted for her while Naruto snorted on their way back, there was a surprisingly low number of casualties.
"It was more than enough." Don't sound too lax, don't sound too critical. "More than the treaties required."
"Ah yes, those are terribly vague, aren't they?" With a flick of a wrist, the Taisho matriarch had a fan in her hand.
Tension crept onto her; was this it? The real motive behind their involvement?
It had been the Taisho clan who insisted on keeping the terms as vague as possible from what she remembered. Unsurprising, considering how fond they were of their freedom. Other than battles, they always tried to keep away from others.
"Well, the less paperwork, the better, right?" Tsunade's had never been known for her miraculous charisma.
"Can't argue with that," the patriarch laughed with her. "But well, it is an old treaty."
"What do you want?" When talking to the nobles of Hi, diplomacy was the only path to take, and the only thing the new Godaime would be able to do was to bite her tongue. But these people were not lazy officials with fragile egos.
"Oh my, now why would we want anything?"
"Let's save ourselves some time and stop pretending anyone in this room is stupid enough to take the other's word for granted." She was not in the mood for political maneuvering.
"I suppose I can respect that," even without seeing, Tsunade could tell the other woman was smiling behind her fan. "We don't wish for anything new, truly. To be honest, there should already be a draft saved within some old paperwork. The one we were working with Minato-sama."
That...wasn't a name she was expecting to hear at all.
Fingers dug into the wood of her desk; there would be indentations left once the Sannin lifted her hand. Not one word about any possible changes to the treaties had been brought up by the Council when asked for any pertinent information some 3 hours ago. And even if the Yondaime kept quiet about a new treaty, there was no way no one knew now. After his death, it fell to the elders to take over anything the man had been working with to let Sarutobi-sensei manage the much-needed reconstruction and damage control from the Kyuubi's attack. The Council had to know, but they kept fucking quiet, and there was no way either of the Taisho heads missed the cracking of the wood under her fingertips.
"There is, of course, no need to finalize anything right this instant." It was said with an air complacency that Kimi had to know was there. "After all, we were still in the early process of drafting. I'm sure proper consideration needs to be given before making a decision."
"Ah. not that we're implying we won't be signing the old treaties once again until we reach a consensus. Whatever it is you decide, Tsunade-sama, shouldn't be affected by our presence here. Besides, Izayoi probably has a whole lecture ready for when we get back home; she really hates it when she can't see any of us for this long."
"R-right." That was an offering if she ever heard one; as much as her pride stung, Tsunade would take it. "Wouldn't want to keep you stuck here for longer than necessary."
Somehow, all of the warnings given about how sharp and devious the matriarch was, had fallen short. Tremendously so. Coy smiles and vague words had covered up the fact that Tsunade herself held almost none of the cards of this conversation. Those two had to have known of the usual friction between councils and the Kages of the Hidden villages. It was a common thing, after all, what with the spokespersons for each of the big clans trying to interfere with their leader's decisions. While the Senju princess had been expecting them to be informed, being proved right was still irritating.
Bitterly, Tsunade wondered if this was just another facet of her rotten luck.
Pushing those useless thoughts out of her mind, the blonde was quick to sign in her name and draw blood from her thumb, pressing it to the old scroll that had been prepared from the very beginning. They were being kind, to a degree. Giving her the time to actually look for and read the documents instead of forcing her hand. Which meant those documents most certainly existed. The mess Orochimaru left in his wake would still need to be placed first in her priorities, but as soon as that was done, Tsunade would need to dive into her predecessor's unfinished business. Hopefully, there would be no need to call the Council and inquire about the missing draft.
"In about three months, we'll send a missive with whoever team gets send through your roads." Oh, the golden-eyed kunoichi was enjoying this. "There's no need to send an immediate reply. Of course, every member of our clan chosen to traverse this land will be trustworthy enough to properly carry out any note that may be necessary."
And that way, trying to send someone to tail them would become a fruitless endeavor while still subtly implying that they would make sure to stay close so they could wait for a reply. Three months would be all the time she could count on. Otherwise, the Taisho's presence would become more frequent, and complaints were sure to arise. Even if they mostly stuck to hunting nuke nins or taking almost insane assassination requests, the other clans would begin to voice their concern. They had very much given her a time limit and issued a warning on the consequences of failing to keep it. All without ever actually saying so. Fuck, this was a mess.
Gracefully, the silver-haired kunoichi stayed back as her husband came to sign over the treaty. As much as they shared power in every real sense of the word, it was only him who shared a direct blood connection to the main family, and so, only his name would count in this. It had to be annoying to the clearly ambitious woman, but Tsunade supposed even a clan like theirs had some traditions to follow.
"Well, we'll get out of your hair tonight," the man smiled brightly.
"Hopefully, we'll get to see each other again, without such grim circumstances."
"Right," Her cheeks were starting to hurt from so much smiling. "Have a good trip."
...
Have a good trip...
Really? Have a good trip?!
Tsunade resisted the urge to bang her head against the already banged-up desk. She needed her idiot teammate here and now. There was too much information out of her grasp, and Orochimaru would sooner convert to Buddhism than the Council would freely give her the data she wanted.
And this was only her first day on the job...fuck.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
This time, Kagome could feel the slight brush of the powerful chakra as the Taisho matriarch nonchalantly entered the part of the backyard she'd converted into a small greenhouse. A willing decision, no doubt. The Higurashi heiress wasn't nearly narcissistic enough to think she'd somehow managed to detect the more experienced kunoichi unless it was planned from the start.
It was still impressive, this timing.
No more than 10 minutes had passed since she walked into the backyard, leaving Sasuke to collect the scrolls they'd be taking from the archives. Either the woman had been somewhere closely waiting for them to part ways, or her ability to sense chakra signatures was so skilled for the woman to feel Sasuke leaving the main house without being noticed. Considering the silver-haired kunoichi surely had better things to do than linger in the outskirts of the Uchiha compound for hours on end, the girl would bet on the latter. Placing the small scissors on a small patch of dirt of her almost violet azaleas, the girl turned, careful not to brush against the small oleander flowers as she waited for the older woman to start their interaction. Kagome was under no delusion that she could wrestle control of the conversation; it would be better to play along and try to get as much information as possible.
"This is quite a collection."
"Thank you," the Higurashi heiress smiled at the offhand praise. "Though I must admit most of the credit goes to the Yamanaka's flower shop, I've mostly made sure they don't die after replanting them."
"Hmm, I wonder if maybe I should've asked you to give my children some pointers." The Taisho's matriarch amused gaze lingered on her hands for just a second. "Oh well, there will always be another opportunity later on."
"Oh? Are you leaving tomorrow?"
The girl made sure to keep a smile on her face, pretending not to notice the implication that last sentence carried. The Taishos only ever entered the Hidden villages when it was time to renew the treaties. With a newly appointed Hokage that, according to Naruto,, still possessed quite a bit of strength, there should be no need for them to place a foot inside the village again for at least some 4 years, or even a decade if the peace gave the slug Sannin an easy reign. Sandaime-sama had been, after all, the legendary three's teacher and still managed to accomplish his job until his death.
"Tonight, actually." Gracefully, the woman made her way to her new pot of white kikus. "One should always make sure to make the most of what they have, after all." Long elegant fingers traced the delicate petals. "Now, this is quite something."
"It is such a pretty flower." And it was the opening to the hidden meaning this conversation would turn around, it seemed. "They stayed on my mind, so I figured, might as well get them. Though I'm unsure where to plant them. Do you happen to garden, Kimi-sama?"
"Oh dear, not really. I can certainly appreciate the end result and make use of it myself. That said, we do have some magnificent gardens back home. I'd think you might like the sight of them." Golden eyes locked into her for just a second before going back to the flowers.
"I'm sure they'd make a lovely sight." And she was sure she was threading a thin line here. "I fear this might be the limits of what I can do by myself since there's no one else to care for them whenever I leave for missions."
"Such delicate tings, aren't they?" The smile the woman gave her was a bit too sharp. "I suppose the real question when caring for them is if they are worth the effort."
"I..." Kagome faltered. "I would think so. Otherwise, people wouldn't spend so much time caring for them for such a long time."
"I absolutely agree, darling."
Taisho Kimi gave another glance at the collection of poisonous and medicinal plants of her little greenhouse. As if they were truly talking about flowers. There had to be slight tells slipping through the cracks inside the hidden invitation and even more implications. So, even the Taisho matriarch didn't know the whole truth, but there was a chance it could be somewhere inside the clan's facilities, and they seemed willing to bend the rules. If only there was a way to know what they wanted from her...
"In any case, I know the children would've loved to come, say their goodbye, but then I wouldn't have had any time, so I ended up being quite selfish this time." There was amusement in the woman's voice. "But if I stay here much longer, I'll end up delaying us, so I must depart now."
"It was a real honor to have met you, then." Kagome made sure to give a deep bow for just a second.
"No need for formalities, darling, remember." Kimi chuckled and offered a light bow herself. "It was, however, such a pleasant couple of conversations."
"I'll pray for your safe travels."
"I'll pass those feelings along."
Long fingers delicately snapped a white chrysanthemum, taking a moment to breathe its scent before placing it between the Higurashi heiress' midnight tresses in an affectionate gesture. A soft murmured, "white seems to suit you." was all she said before turning around and started to make her way out of the compound. Absentmindedly, the girl wondered if the ANBUs watching them had followed Sasuke or was incapacitated in some form since Kagome very much doubted the woman wished for their conversation, coded as it had been, to be overheard.
"Oh, silly me, I almost forgot." With one hand on the sliding door to the main house, the Taisho matriarch turned around once more, amusement shining through her golden eyes. "Do give my regards to...Naruto-kun, was it? It has been such a long time since I've had such a good laugh. I'll have to make sure to share that little story."
A/N: And here we are, this is just a bit of a transitional chapter to tie some loose ends. I wanted to show a bit of Naruto's return and reunion with the other two before the inevitable happened. Also things from Yondaime's time (like the altered treaty and some other stuff) will be brought up here and there since I am picking plot threads from all the lore there is in the original manga and adding my own to that timeline, plus it feels a bit weird that in many occasions there doesn't seem to be a real change in the way people lived their life before and after big events in the Naruto cannon (i.e. after Gaara becomes Kazekage there barely seems to be any opposition at all despite the fact that other than his sibling, no one had any reason to believe he could keep Shuukaku under control).
As always thank you guys so much for reading and any and all review/comment/criticism is greatly appreciated.