Chapter 18: Hiruzen's plans
Summary: In which we find out the repercussions for all and why Hiruzen believes putting a genin into ANBU is a good idea.
"Inu-san," Hiruzen started, "I will assign a new member to your team. They are under suspicion of being a spy and you and your team will need to keep constant surveillance of them – they will be assigned to your team for a period of three years."
It wasn't the first spy Kakashi had been assigned, not by a long shot. Even before the confession of falling for Danzo's scheme, Minato's student had been very obedient, rule-conscious, efficient and detached. But, more importantly, unhesitatingly loyal.
He had been called to observe a number of spies and had helped root out a few Iwa spies as well as one from Suna with remarkable speed. Most of them had only been assigned for a year, but Kakashi had usually discovered them within months – and, in one remarkable case, hours.
Most ANBU members lasted two years – few lasted past ten years with a few notable exceptions; Aburame-san among them.
"They have no ties to Konoha and do not have the will of fire in them. While they aren't up to ANBU standard they have a new kekkai genkai and could pose a threat. Proceed with caution, Inu-san."
Inu didn't hesitate and nodded obediently.
"Itachi will be assigned to your team as well."
Another curt nod.
"Report any and all talents and skills as well as any inconsistencies at once, Inu-san."
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Inu confirmed. It was easy to forget Inu was still a teenager but hearing his voice break served as an amusing reminder.
"Dismissed," he ordered and Inu stood up out of his kneeling position and disappeared with not a single leaf being left behind. The amount of talent that boy held was still astounding. Jiraiya had done well to instil Minato with discipline and loyalty; and the boy had done well enough to pass that onto his only remaining student. If only Kakashi had shown even a remote interest in his clan seat, or politics, he would have been able to hand the hat off to him in a few years.
As it stood, the last Hatake posed a threat – he had no ties outside of the bond to Naruto. Gai's and Tenzo's friendship appeared largely one-sided and Hiruzen wasn't certain they would be enough to bind Kakashi to Konoha. He was the most talented and one of the most highly qualified shinobi they had – especially at such a young age – but there was no higher rank he could attain. He would either grow bored – a dangerous thing for shinobi – or aim for the one post he could. Hokage.
Keeping him in ANBU and making sure he thought it was his own decision and that Hiruzen was against his continued stay therein had been a masterful stroke. ANBU demanded complete obedience and silence. Either Inu would burn out – as so many did – or he would fade into obscurity behind the mask without outside contact. Either way, a resounding success in keeping the Hatake clan head both busy and using his skills to further aid Konoha. Whilst the loss of his genes and the geniuses that clan had continually birthed would be a loss, it would never be a fatal one.
And adding Itachi to his ANBU team was even better. Whatever one may say about Inu, he was loyal, fanatically so. Tenzo, Orochimaru's experiment, had been trained into obedience by Danzo – and while he had been far too valuable to pit against another child in deathly combat, he had more than proved his mettle and his loyalty to both Kakashi and the Hokage. Although Hiruzen would admit that he wasn't sure whom, exactly, Tenzo would choose if it came down to the wire between Kakashi and himself.
Itachi, on the other hand, had demonstrated that he was loyal to Konoha and the Hokage above all else – except his younger brother; an easy concession Hiruzen could work around.
By removing Kara from society, her friends and support structure and any adults who may have assisted her, she would naturally start reaching out to the ones she was on a team with. Without any other influences and within ANBU – and organisation which actively discouraged critical thinking of any orders they received and wherein asking any questions of an order would serve to add a black mark to their record – Kara would have no choice but to follow suit. She'd bend her knee and offer her unquestioning loyalty to him as Hokage as well as Konoha at large; then they would finally be able to use her more effectively and without having to fear her turning against them.
Soft conditioning at its finest. Once the three years were up – and, maybe, should she prove herself earlier, she could be granted certain privileges again, such as visiting her former friends or interacting with the clan heads.
A knock on the door interrupted Hiruzen's distracted ponderings on how different his methods were to Danzo and yet his proved just as effective but garnered more loyalty as they didn't induce resentment.
"Enter," Hiruzen ordered sharply, already knowing who was on the other side.
His office was soon filled with the clan heads and Ibiki Morino.
"I think you all know why you are here. You have all, individually, decided to keep important – relevant – information from me. Your Hokage. The one you swore your loyalty, as you swore your loyalty to Konoha. You have given me excuses, not explanations, in your defense. To say I am disappointed is putting it mildly," he glared at Shikaku and Inoichi specifically.
"You are trusted with T&I, Inoichi, but I think you will taken a step back going forward. Ibiki-san, you will be the head and any and all information with Kara will go through you. Inoichi cannot be trusted with rational decision in regard to her. Inoichi-san, you will be docked pay for the next year and your interrogation and mind-walks will be verified for the same time period. If you pass the trial period, you will find yourself reinstated, but T&I will remain under Ibiki-san's sole control going forward."
The clan head bowed deeply.
"I understand, Hokage-sama, and thank you for your lenience."
Hiruzen nodded sharply.
"Shikaku. You are in charge of all my jounin, have advised me and strategized with me – your insight has been invaluable," Hiruzen began, eyes focussed on the Nara clan head and jounin commander, "Which is why I was especially surprised to find you making such a faux-pas. You risked your clan and your life – for what? A clanless, nameless, orphan. Her skills could benefit Konoha and yet you kept her secret. I think you can surmise that if there were any other viable candidates and if Konoha was in a position to handle the embarrassment and vulnerability by demoting you, I would. As you know, this is not the case."
Hiruzen sighed. He couldn't risk it, but Shikaku's continuous disobedience over a period of years and his refusal to reveal any information until the last moment made it severely tempting to inflict a harsher punishment.
"You will continue as jounin commander at no pay for the next year and half-pay for the next two years thereafter. Any and all privileges, leniency and courtesies I have granted you are now retracted. You have lost my trust and you will need to earn it back."
With practised motions Hiruzen filled his pipe with tobacco and leaned back in his chair, watching Shikaku bow and utter his own apology as well.
Hiruzen knew Shikaku and Inoichi well enough to not believe a word.
"Neither you, your clans or clan heirs will have further contact with genin Kara. The threat genin Kara poses to Konoha could not be tolerated and genin Kara has been removed. You will not mention her or her name. As far as anyone outside this office is concerned, genin Kara is on a long-term mission."
It was what they called the seduction missions some young children from the genin corps were sent out on, on occasion. Kara was pretty enough to have fit the mould had a mission come to them, but unremarkable enough to pass muster.
"Dismissed," he ordered shortly and Inoichi, Shikaku, Hiashi and Ibiki left his office again in short order.
Hiashi had hesitated for a split second, obviously intending to inquire about the outcome of the investigation, but one look at Hiruzen's face had obviously alerted him to the fact that he was unlikely to be lenient today, should the Hyuga clan head commit such a blunder.
Konoha's coffers would look a little better in the immediate future with the reduction in salary – for although they were only two people, they were two of the highest-ranking ones outside of ANBU and they could use every advantage they could after the Kyubi attack. But Kara herself could prove to be a gem – a diamond in the rough, and once loyal all her powers would be under his command. There wouldn't be any more, not with such a powerhouse on their side.
That is, if she proved herself. If not, Kakashi knew the standing order was to eliminate any spy who looked like they were about to escape.
Autor's Notes: Whoo boy, thank you for all your kindhearted comments and your condolences. I appreciate it so much. First of all, happy 2nd December. advent calendar day Next chapter we'll be back to Kara's POV but hopefully this one answered a few questions you posed.
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