Valley Region: Hokage tower – Hokage's office
"My lord, General Kato is far worse than we thought."
"What?! How could that be! He's been working with us and even made that incredible plan to win the war!"- Hashirama was stunned.
"Yes… well… My lord, General Kato has a long term sickness that shakes his body involuntarily and causes some mental blackouts. We think he has some mental damage after all the fights my lord."
"Impossible! Mental damage? He has been the finest tactical advisor we have had!"- Something was off. On occasions Tobirama thought his tactics had worked all too well to be real. This may be just the tip of the iceberg.
"That's correct my lord. I had the same question."
"And? What did he say?!"- Hashirama was very distressed. He really held this man in high esteem. It could not be that he was some kind of double spy or something of that order.
"He… he admitted he didn't make the last tactic plan. In fact, he admitted he was being helped the last 4 years in tactical planning and intel gathering."
"What?! By whom?!"
Tobirama waited for the worst. A high ranked enemy name or an organized bandit group.
"His firstborn my lord."
~ufff~ Hashirama breathed again. "Wait…"
"General Kato doesn't have any sons." said Tobirama frowning. Did General Kato think he could fool them so easily?
"Umm, no… Tobirama-sama, he doesn't. His firstborn is a female. A young woman by this date if I may add…"
"A girl?" - Said Hashirama, impressed.
"A woman?!"- Said Tobirama, confused.
"Y- Yes… my lord. I've had the pleasure of meeting her. At first I was also shocked, but then I recalled her to be applied as an anatomy pupil. It made some sense to me."
"Is that so?! Then we're saved! I mean, General Kato is not a traitor and he has a daughter that can serve in his place as a tactical advisor!"
"Really? So General Kato has an incurable and unpleasant disease and we are happy that his female child could be the author of many of our victories? What would the council say Hashirama?! That we're in debt to no less than a young woman who surpassed our tactical advisors and us in the way?"
"Tobirama… You really are that misogynist?" -Hashirama didn't believe his brother to be so old fashioned.
"No! It's not that! I don't care who he or she is, but the council is very old-fashioned. There's no way they would let her join it as a tactical advisor even if she planned the last 10 years of tactics on her own. We cannot let them know. It could destroy all that we have achieved in political terms. It could start a civil-"
"Tobirama! Don't even think about that! I understand. We can't afford to have her as a tactical advisor but it's so unfair to leave things this way. General Kato has done a very good job in this war. We can't let him die in shadows with this awful disease. I wish…"
"Just keep quiet, anija. You're dismissed Mihara. Keep his mental damage a secret so it doesn't raise suspicion. If the council finds out we have been following the advice of a sick man..."
"Yes Tobirama-sama."
-o-
Valley Region - Hokage house, several hours later (dinner time)
The last information left a bad taste in both of the brothers' mouth's. When dinner time came and they reunited at the dinner table the ambient was a little more than tense. Hashirama hated when Tobirama closed his mind contemplating on the next step without consulting him. He wasn't gonna let him do it this time.
"Tobirama?"
"Hmm?"
"I was thinking of a way-"
~ Earth's shuddering~
"Shit!" - Tobirama held his katana and dashed outside.
"Was that an explosion?"- Hashirama reached for his weapon too and ran beside his brother until they reached the center of the town. Smoke…
"It seems so, quick!"
-o-
Valley Region – Council room, next day
"They had the nerve to make a terrorist attack on our doorstep even after we won the war!"
"What happened with the intel? It never happened when General Kato was in charge of it!"
"How could it be?! It could happen again! People are scared!"
"Bring back General Kato! He can't retreat to the beach after the war! There's still so much to do!"
The council was very scared after yesterday's explosion. It was a box full of gunpowder that was ignited in a watchtower near the village perimeter. The village security should have detected it but it was very clear they needed more control over security. Tobirama just bit his tongue. At this rate there wouldn't be too much time before the council knew of the state of General Kato, and then suspicion would raise. He couldn't allow it. All they have fought for would be destroyed in a day just because they relayed too much on one man. A man that wasn't sincere enough to tell them he was being helped by -
"Tobirama!"
"Anija!"
"The session is over. We need to talk."- Hashirama's expression was very serious. He meant it.
"Let's go to the office."
-o-
Hokage's Office
~sigh~ "People are too scared. We need to take measures."- Hashirama said calmly.
"I know. I already thought of something."
"Did you? And what is it?"
"We need that woman. She's the only thing that General Kato will leave after his passing and she has the experience so-"
"We should marry her!"- Hashirama was quick to interrupt. He was thinking the same before the explosion.
"Yes. I was thinking the same. We should get her near someone on the tactics or intel team so she can get access to everything without the Council noticing it-" Tobirama stopped talking when he saw Hashirama's cat expression.
"What? Do you have someone willing already?"
"Well, under more normal circumstances I would like to know her first but you see, I asked Mihara some details about her. He didn't know much but he said she was single, beautiful and reserved."
"And your point is?"- Tobirama didn't like how things were turning.
"It must be you!"
"Never!"- Tobirama interrupted quickly.
"Why not?! You don't have a sweetheart, do you?"
"N-n-"
"And that's the last thing we can do for General Kato! He's the last man in his family. Who will take care of his daughters and land when he dies?!"- Hashirama was in drama mode.
~angry grunt~
Tobirama was speechless. His brother was right. They owed the Kato family. They were the first to join them a long time ago when their father was still alive and were the most resourceful and least problematic of all the families. But still… He wouldn't know what to do with a wife, a woman… What if she were too problematic?
"Is that a yes? I will count it as an affirmative! You will look soo good as a husband!"
Hashirama was too happy way too quick. Was he planning this all along?