The morning dawn was an unwelcome sight for Team Seven.
Their breakfast was delivered by Minami's team, and it was singularly off-putting for both Sayaka and Naruto to be waited on by others their age. Naruto was an orphan, but even the smudged memories of Sayaka's childhood had no such attendants. Only the Hyuuga, with their vast compound and Branch Family, seemed to indulge in such luxuries.
So the meal was spent in silence, with Team Seven quietly trying to ignore the three pseudo-genin lining the walls. They failed spectacularly.
After breakfast, Team Seven was free to go about their day. There were no specific requests from Lord Hayashi, though he surely knew they had arrived, so the genin went off to canvas the area while Kakashi, who had been up late, declared that he would finally sleep.
"Security is pretty tight, the day guard patrol has no real gaps," said Naruto as the genin convened on top of a roof. He squatted next to a roof ornament, arms draped across his knees as he spoke. "I've been thinking about how I'd try to get in and plant paint bombs, and it's just really hard. You can't climb the wall without being seen, and getting in the gates needs passwords and stuff that change all the time."
Sayaka grimaced and folded her arms. "It's still possible though."
Naruto shrugged. "Sure anything's possible, and if they've got this place scoped out then we're definitely screwed, but it's a lot harder. Why take the risk if you don't have to?"
"I guess," said Sayaka with a sigh. "Should we go take a look at the route?"
Hinata shook her head. "The palanquin will a-always be within c-crossbow range along the entire r-route," she said. "Scouting it will not give us any n-new information."
Sayaka sighed again and turned to look out over the castle grounds. Castles were inhospitable to conventional attack and, unless corruption within Lord Hayashi's ranks was simply incredibly well-hidden, it was unlikely that any assassination attempts would come from within. In all respects, this should have been an easy C-rank, bumped up entirely because Lord Hayashi was willing to spend the money for the extra assurance that his daughter would be safe.
Sayaka rubbed a strand of ninja wire in her skirt pocket and wondered. Were they really safe from ninja attack? The walls were high, sure, but some genjutsu and patience were all anyone needed to get over them, even if it was still riskier than just shooting the princess along the parade route.
"Ahoy up there!"
Team Seven looked down with a blink to see a group of samurai tramping past. At their head was Lord Hayashi himself, conversing with an aide as he walked past. The man was tall and powerfully built, broad in the shoulders and possessing a thick, bushy beard. His armor was richly brocaded, and he wore a lacquered leather cuirass that had been imprinted with his family crest at the corners. As they looked, he glanced up at them and nodded respectfully, before turning back to his conversation.
The person calling out to Team Seven was a page, about their age, dressed in light armor and waving a practice spear at them. "Lord Hayashi asks if you have a free moment?"
"What's up?" Naruto called back.
"Lord Hayashi would like to train with you," the page answered. "He has heard that the most distinguished heirs of the two greatest clans of Konoha have been assigned to protect his daughter, and seeks to test the mettle of his men against them."
Sayaka and Hinata looked at each other with raised eyebrows. That was certainly a request.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, sure, we'll come down," he said and getting to his feet. "Come on most distinguished heirs, it's time to train."
Sayaka reached over and smacked him upside the head.
Chakra clashed against chakra as two samurai of the Hayashi Retinue slammed into each other.
"Holy shit," said Naruto, ducking instinctively where Team Seven stood at the railing around the practice ring. "That's how samurai fight?"
"Samurai use a lot of chakra in combat," said the page, Saburo. "It is essential to achieving the speed and power required to penetrate armor."
"Do they use chakra swords or whatever?" asked Naruto as the sparring pair withdrew slightly, glaring at each other through their facemasks while raising their practice swords. There was a beat before the two combatants charged again. The wooden blades crashed against each other with a crackle of chakra, blades whirring at ninja speeds and many times the power.
"Not as such, no," said Saburo. "Of course, hereditary blades are often special in that way, but as you can see, the weapons are usually reinforced with the will of their bearer."
"That's pretty cool," said Naruto, leaning up against the railing. In the ring, the combatants slid back from the battle to reassess, breathing hard. Across the way, Lord Hayashi sat in his armor, watching the fight carefully. Before the two could clash again, he stood up.
"That's enough," he said, raising an open palm. "Excellent technique, the both of you."
"Thank you sir!" the two samurai said, bowing sharply to him.
"Izanagi, what do you think they could improve on?" Lord Hayashi said to one of the men sitting to his left. He was an older samurai, his hair streaked with grey, but wore his armor well.
"Both are impetuous, which is to their credit," said Izanagi, "but leads also to impatience. Both would do well waiting for an opening rather than searching so hard for one."
"I agree," said Lord Hayashi. He leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "Still, one must also attack to create openings. It is hard to fault them for their valiance and fearlessness."
"Just so, your excellency," said Izanagi, bowing slightly.
"Shinobi of Konoha, what say you?" Lord Hayashi asked, gesturing. "Have you any insights for our samurai?"
Naruto and Hinata both turned to Sayaka, who blinked at them, then scowled, then smoothed her expression and turned back to Lord Hayashi.
"My experience with samurai fighting is very little, your excellency," said Sayaka, bowing slightly at the waist to avert her eyes respectfully. "Your humble servant can only say that she would be nervous fighting either of these two fighters. They possess speed and power which she hopes to match one day."
Lord Hayashi blinked, then leaned back and laughed. "Very humble of you, Lady Uchiha, but even the samurai know of the Uchiha Clan. You are perhaps underselling yourself, no?"
Sayaka shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Er, perhaps, your excellency, but I am still young," she said. "It is only natural for youth to aspire to the skill of their elders."
Lord Hayashi laughed again. "Very well, then let us see what we can teach you. Come, Lady Uchiha, step into the ring. Daisuke, you are not too tired, I hope?"
"No sir!" said the samurai to Sayaka's right, tipping open his facemask to wipe at his brow.
"Excellent," said Lord Hayashi, and he gestured at Sayaka. "Please, spar with the Lady Uchiha. I am sure it will be a learning experience for everyone."
Sayaka squashed a grimace and looked over at Hinata, then Naruto. Both were entirely unrepentant. Hinata, Sayaka forgave, because honestly the girl hated putting on a display. Naruto, however, clearly just wanted to give Sayaka grief.
"I'll get you for this later," Sayaka whispered.
Naruto grinned back innocently. "No idea what you're talking about Lady Uchiha," he said.
Sayaka glared at him, then vaulted over the railing. She considered her options, not that there were many. The man, Daisuke, was older and more powerful than her by a significant margin. He was probably in his late teens, maybe eighteen or nineteen. His armor made him heavy, but he possessed a huge excess in strength that let him move with great speed. Sayaka would need to keep her distance, somehow, or try to pin him down.
"Your excellency, am I permitted live steel in this bout?" Sayaka asked. She didn't have any weapons that weren't sharpened.
"Daisuke, what say you?" asked Lord Hayashi.
"I am willing," said Daisuke. He grinned tightly, and seemed excited at the prospect. "It has been some time since I have fought live steel, after all."
"Very well, but I want neither of you to be hurt," said Lord Hayashi gravely. "You are both skilled warriors, and I expect you to yield honorably."
Sayaka and Daisuke both bowed to Lord Hayashi. "We understand, your excellency."
"Very well, then you may begin on your own time," said Lord Hayashi, sitting back to watch.
Sayaka's attention sharpened to the battlefield and the man standing across from her. Daisuke refastened his facemask and held his wooden sword in front of him at an even guard, regarding her carefully. A light breeze came across from the left.
She opened with a brace of shuriken on wires, the projectiles zipping past Daisuke and skimming the armor on his arms and legs. The samurai charged, the wires around his feet tangling him up but snapping as he funneled chakra downwards to force through the metal and make a sound like thunder as his feet impacted the earth.
Sayaka scowled as she leapt back. Tying him up wouldn't work then, which meant she was going to be forced to fight in close. She whipped out another brace of shuriken on wires, this time circling around Daisuke's right side in a long hook, then pulled them sharply, rotating at her waist to make the shuriken jerk backwards. They swung back in front of Daisuke, catching him in a wide loop of wire, then tightened as Sayaka applied further pressure to the wires to make the shuriken swing around and around on their own momentum.
Daisuke planted his feet and raised his sword, letting it be caught inside the wire that threatened to constrict him. Then with a shout, he pushed outwards, chakra cracking the wire even with the blunt edge of the wooden blade. The hardened surface of the armor gave him something to brace against, and the metal gave easily under the power of a samurai's finely honed abilities. He whirled his blade, bringing it up to-
-catch Sayaka's kunai as it reached for his face. Sayaka whirled in place and slammed the heel of her foot into Daisuke's facemask, snapping his head back and making him step backwards. Sayaka landed, then jumped again, flipping over Daisuke's head with a loop of wire wrapped around her hands. She couldn't choke him, not with the neck armor that all samurai wore, but the wire would give her leverage to pull him down and disarm him. She twisted as she leaped, aiming for a spot behind Daisuke where she could get good leverage as the wire-
-drew tight against Daisuke's gauntlet, biting into the silk but not flesh. With a roar, the samurai pulled, grasping the wire and hurling Sayaka overhead and into the ground. The impact stunned her, slamming the air out of her lungs and for a second the world spun.
This must be what it felt like to be Naruto during a spar.
A flash of wood made her roll away, the practice sword crashing into the ground where she had lain. The ground buckled from the impact, and Sayaka scrambled backwards. Daisuke advanced, moving far faster than a man in that much armor had any right to, and raised a booted leg. It came down towards Sayaka and-
-she was able to trap it, twisting and throwing Daisuke to the ground. Sayaka tried to pin his foot in her armpit to put him in an ankle lock, but Daisuke twisted around and crushed his knee into the pit of her stomach. Sayaka shouted in pain and her grip loosened for a moment, enough for Daisuke to extract his foot and whirl around to pin her to the ground. He raised a fist, then brought it crashing down into a-
-piece of wood, shattering it as Sayaka pulled a replacement and reappeared overhead, and this time she had a kunai that couldn't be used to throw her and slid the blade under the silk straps that held Daisuke's facemask and helmet on his head. He bucked, throwing her off, but the kunai edge cut the straps and now Daisuke stood, glaring and furious, but finally vulnerable.
Sayaka raised her kunai, a second one flipping into her free hand. She wound back to throw-
"Stop!"
Sayaka blinked, and looked to the side, where Lord Hayashi had risen from his seat.
"My lord?" Daisuke asked, letting his sword drop.
"Impressive fighting, the both of you," said Lord Hayashi. He smiled grimly. "I apologize for ending the bout so inconclusively, but we must remember that we have many days ahead of us where Lady Uchiha must be at her best."
Sayaka slid her kunai back into their sheath and swept her hair back, glancing over at Daisuke.
"My lord, I cannot express my apologies," Daisuke said immediately, bowing steeply. "Of course, if Lady Uchiha is to protect the princess-"
"There is no need to apologize, Daisuke," said Lord Hayashi, raising a hand. "You are a brave warrior, and of course would fight to the best of your ability. But I think everyone here agrees that you two are an even match."
The older samurai who had been watching all nodded.
"If I may say so, your excellency, it was truly an excellent bout," said a samurai old enough that his hair was mostly white. "It has been many years since I have seen such skill in such a young fighter. The Lady Uchiha does indeed undersell herself."
Sayaka ducked her head, suppressing a smile.
"It is only because of my sensei," she said demurely. "I owe what skill I have to his teachings."
"Of course, of course," said the old samurai, chuckling. "But lest Daisuke feel left out, I would also say that he showed great skill fighting his first ninja. Was it very unusual, Daisuke?"
"It was, sir," said Daisuke with a grin. "The Lady Uchiha moves unlike any samurai, but in the end she still must target the same locations. It truly is the case, sir, that drilling the fundamentals prevented my swift defeat."
"Very good, very good," said Lord Hayashi. "Now let it be known that today's bout was limited to hand-to-hand combat, and none of a ninja's most powerful ninjutsu was on display. Do not become overconfident, as a ninja uses more than just tricks and acrobatics to slay their foe. Still, this was, I think, an educational experience. Now who will be our next sparring pair?"
Sayaka and Daisuke bowed to Lord Hayashi, then exited the sparring ring. Now that she had a chance to look, Sayaka realized that he was a head or so taller than her, and built like a mountain tiger.
"Good match, your ladyship," said Daisuke, holding out his hand. "You fight well."
Sayaka grasped his hand and shook it, looking him in the eyes. "You as well. Thank you for the match."
Daisuke grinned at her, then let go and turned away. He was welcomed back among the ranks of Lord Hayashi's samurai with whispered commentary as the next match got started. Sayaka watched him go and pondered.
"And that's why samurai are the preeminent military force in the elemental countries," said Kakashi over a cup of tea. Team Seven had reconvened in the guest house after the training bouts to find him awake and reading his book, a pot of tea at his elbow. "They don't have many chakra techniques, but they refine those skills to a tremendous degree. That, coupled with their armor, makes them tremendously hard to take down, even as a jounin."
"Seriously?" Naruto asked, bouncing in his seat. "Like, can't you just kill them with cool jutsu or something?"
Kakashi shook his head. "The first few, maybe, but even ashigaru know how to use chakra to defend themselves. That's how daimyos build up armies. Sure, in a war, we'd have genjutsu masters to subjugate armies and the Hokage can make a small natural disaster if he wants, but there would be so many killed that it wouldn't be worth it. Better to save your soldiers for fighting others who try to subjugate your lands."
Naruto considered this thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense. Like, Lightning wants to take over a bunch of Fire Country's land, right? So if the daimyo was in a war with Konoha, Lightning would just come in and take over. So instead, the daimyo and the Hokage try to work together like a team, so that Lightning can't be a jerk."
"It's more complicated than that, but basically," said Kakashi. His teacup had emptied itself while Naruto was talking, and he began to pour himself another. "Usually, power gets devolved downwards to provincial governors, like Lord Hayashi, and hidden villages get special privileges, but at the end of the day the daimyo is in charge of making sure everything comes together in times of conflict."
"Man, it's all so complicated," said Naruto, lying back on the floor with a thump. "Politics is stupid."
"That's why I didn't go for being Hokage," said Kakashi. He sighed. "And the meetings suck too."
"Ugh," Naruto groaned, rolling over to bury his head in his arms. "Don't remind me."
Hinata giggled and patted him on the back of the head. "I'm s-sure that it w-won't be so bad when you're H-hokage, Naruto."
"You think so?" Naruto asked, looking up at Hinata.
"Y-yes!"
"Aww, I hope so too," said Naruto. He rolled back over and bumped Hinata's shoulder with his own as he sat up. It almost seemed like an accident, but he was sitting a lot closer to her now. "But hey so, sensei, did you learn anything last night?"
Kakashi and Sayaka glanced at each other as Hinata blushed but didn't comment. "Well to say I learned something might be overstating it," said Kakashi. He pulled out a sheaf of paper from his jounin vest and placed it on the table. "The notes I have aren't great, but they confirm everything Team Minami told us last night. The only discrepancy is their reports on the ninja. I can't find anything conclusive, and it's mostly because of the corruption in the local police reports. The coroner's findings have been doctored and none of the victims' bodies were photographed before they were cremated."
"So it's still a possibility," said Sayaka darkly.
Kakashi nodded. "The deaths are definitely suspicious. The mission is still a B-rank, but if we were going to see the princess assassinated in the castle I think the enemy would have struck by now. The attack, if it happens, is going to happen along the parade route."
Team Seven nodded.
"In that case, why have the parade at all?" asked Sayaka. "It'd be better for us to take her there under guard at night."
"It would be terrible for appearances," said Kakashi, shaking his head. "It'd make it look like Lord Hayashi is afraid and weaken his position further. He is obliged to put on something of a show."
"Seems kind of dumb to risk your kid's life like that though," said Naruto.
"If you have a better plan, I'm sure Lord Hayashi would welcome it," said Kakashi. "The strength of a lord is what allows him to protect the realm for which he is responsible. If Lord Hayashi was to be weakened further, his men might begin to desert him for others."
"But they're his soldiers?"
"Not the way Konoha's ninja are soldiers for their Hokage," said Kakashi, shaking his head. "We're trained from the earliest age that we can hold a kunai to follow the orders of the Hokage and fight for Konoha and Konoha alone. Ashigaru are raised from the masses and often trained in a month or less."
"Wouldn't it be better to have everyone be better trained though?" asked Naruto. "Like, you'd fight better and win wars and stuff more easily."
"And how will you pay all those soldiers?" asked Kakashi. "You will keep a good many as your standing army, of course, but probably no more than ten thousand. Conflict during the Warring States Period could devour that many soldiers in a single day of battle. For these reasons, the provincial lords have long relied on more than just their wealth to hold the loyalty of their ashigaru, who they must levy from the masses. How then would you appeal to such people, who may have been farmers and fisherman yesterday?"
"Well, if there are people who want to hurt their families, then why wouldn't you volunteer to protect your home?" Naruto asked. "That's what I would do!"
"Then maybe, in some other life, you would have made a fine ashigaru for Lord Hayashi," said Kakashi, smiling and shaking his head. Only Naruto. "Unfortunately, that's not how most people think. A lot of people would say: 'How much will you pay me to do that?' Or they might say: 'Why should I listen to you?'. What would you say then?"
Naruto frowned. "Well, you should only listen to someone if they can prove they're the best, and you gotta eat. So if you're a provincial lord, you gotta prove you can win battles and you gotta give people food, right?"
Kakashi nodded. "Very good. That is historically the minimum, but these days people have started expecting more. Ashigaru will always receive food and a roof to sleep under. On top of that, lords are expected to pay their soldiers according to their rank in the army. If Lord Hayashi has decreased the taxes on the people, then he simply cannot pay the ryo to keep his men, and may not have the food stores either. Even the most loyal ashigaru will be forced to leave if he cannot get food. Maybe he will go back to being a fisherman or a farmer, and if Lord Hayashi asks he may come back to serve his lord, but lords that can win the loyalty of their people, even when their people are poor and hungry, are rare lords indeed."
Naruto frowned more deeply and crossed his arms stubbornly. "That doesn't have to be true."
"No, but, well, it takes great effort from great men to change things, and where are we to find such men apart from books and stories?" said Kakashi. He shrugged and spread his hands out. "Not being such a man, what other recourse does Lord Hayashi have to convince his ashigaru to stay than to put on a show displaying how little he cares about these rumors of assassination? Besides, it is considered the honorable thing to do, when giving away your daughter, and he must show how he is an upright and honorable samurai. And he will do so while guarding his daughter with his best men and dressing her and her attendants in fine robes, to show that his samurai are powerful and his wealth is great. The ashigaru under him need not fear losing their income, and if they start to stir trouble, they do need to fear those samurai."
"That's really messed up," Naruto said flatly. "Like, everything is already super hard, you know? Everybody needs to help out. Why make things worse?"
"Yes, well," said Kakashi with a sigh. "Welcome to leadership, I guess. These politics are part of getting and keeping power, and showmanship and signaling are just tools for manipulating others."
"Does the Hokage have to do this too?"
Kakashi nodded. "A little. Konoha is different, but when it comes to the clans…"
He looked meaningfully at Hinata, who let out a small sigh and looked down at the table.
"Well, anyway, it's part of the job," said Kakashi. He swirled his tea contemplatively. "Misdirection is part of being a ninja, after all. If you want to be Hokage, you'll be leading ninja, so you'll have to deal with it."
Naruto groaned and laid his head on the table.
With dinnertime came an unexpected invitation.
"His excellency Lord Hayashi requests your presence for a private dinner," said Saburo, the page from earlier. He had changed into a much more conventional messenger's uniform, and offered a scroll wrapped in powder blue cord with a bow. "It is an informal occasion, please feel free to appear in your mission wear. His excellency and the princess will be in their house clothes."
"Very well," said Kakashi, returning the bow to take the scroll. "We will appear at the specified time."
Saburo left and Team Seven immediately flew into a small panic. One did not get invitations if it really was just an "informal private dinner". At the same time, it wasn't as if they'd actually brought formal wear - well, Kakashi had, because he was endlessly paranoid - and there wasn't any possibility to show up dressed well. They would have to put in a little effort to look nicer than usual, and that would have to do.
Of course, all Kakashi did was leave his most inappropriate books in his room, retaining only a respectable copy of the Genji Monogatari. He advised Naruto, whose hair was truly untamable, to bring a notebook, in case they needed to take notes on something, while the girls made sure their hair was smooth and brushed and fell just so.
Then it was time for dinner, and, after making sure Naruto knew what manners were, the team set out for the mansion. Sayaka did her best not to look like she was glaring at all the servants. This failed, something Hinata told her quietly as they were walking through the mansion's outer grounds, and Sayaka settled with looking around as if she were scanning for threats.
Team Minami shadowed them the entire way, mysteriously appearing then disappearing like wraiths. In fact, Sayaka didn't notice until she spotted Naga signaling her. The hand signals were Konoha standard: no contacts, area secure. It was a little unsettling, the way the team of genin ghosted around them, like wisps of smoke in the breeze.
But finally, Team Seven arrived at the dining room and Minami was there to open the door for them and allow them in. They walked into an extremely underwhelming room, with a table set for five and with one of the seats occupied by a girl in a casual dress and reading a book. Despite her clothes, her hair was done up fashionably and her face had been dabbed with subtle makeup which, though likely to escape Naruto's notice, clearly said to Sayaka and Hinata that despite this being a casual occasion, there were still certain rules and standards which were being applied.
The girl looked up and set the book aside as Team Seven walked in. "Good evening, I am Princess Fumiyo," she said, nodding her head solemnly. "Thank you for coming to dinner."
"It's an honor, princess," said Kakashi, leading Team Seven in bowing with appropriate gravitas. Sayaka took the moment to study the princess. Her dress was tastefully restrained, lacking in the embellishments wealthy civilians were fond of, while her hair was tied back in a loose bun, pinned with a golden hairpin and embellished with ribbons of silk. She also had a dagger concealed in the folds of the skirt, which had been trimmed to appear modest yet still allow her to reach inside and draw the blade. Interesting.
"Please, call me Fumiyo," said Fumiyo, gesturing at the table. "Have a seat. My father will hopefully be joining us soon. While we wait, would you like something to drink?"
"Tea or water would be nice," said Kakashi. He picked a seat with a good view of the riskiest entrypoints, while Naruto sat down with his back to the door. Sayaka and Hinata ended up across from the princess.
"Very well," said Fumiyo, gesturing imperceptibly. Nobuo appeared from the shadows, bearing a teapot and a set of cups. He silently placed them in front of each of the diners and began to pour the tea.
Sayaka studied the room more while the sound of tea running into cups curiously failed to echo. Carved panels lined the walls and ceiling, and the sole window in the dining room was small and placed high up. While the ceiling was painted white to reflect as much light as possible, overhead lamps remained necessary to see any of the other diners.
"How has your day been?" Fumiyo asked. Nobuo withdrew into the shadows once more as the princess lifted her teacup. "I heard you were able to give Father a good show at the sparring ring."
"It was a good fight," said Sayaka. She watched as the princess drank her tea.
"Who was your opponent?"
"His name was Daisuke."
"Ah, yes, he is very skilled," said Fumiyo. She took another sip of tea. "He will be one of my bodyguards during the procession."
"I see," said Sayaka. She glanced at Hinata and Naruto, wondering if either of them was going to say anything. Hinata was demurely looking down at the table, content for the moment to contemplate her teacup, while Naruto had scalded his tongue drinking his tea. The face he was making was deeply undignified.
Sayaka sighed. Maybe Kakashi would save her?
"The plan, I am told, will be for you and Lady Hyuuga to ride with me in the palanquin," said Fumiyo. She set her tea down to look at Sayaka directly. "I take it there are no concerns from any of you about this arrangement?"
"No," said Sayaka. She ran a finger along the side of her teacup.
"Good."
Silence descended on the table. It was so quiet that even Naruto stopped fidgeting, terribly aware of how much noise he made just sitting still.
Rescue appeared from an unexpected source. "What book were you reading?" Hinata asked, voice even and polite and everything else that befit the heiress of the most prestigious clan in Konoha. Sayaka saw that she had moved her hands under the table, to hide their trembling.
"Ah, this?" asked Fumiyo, picking her book back up to look at its cover. "It's nothing special, the biography of a botanist from the west."
"Sakoda Kenji is an obscure name," said Hinata. She reached out and picked up her tea, confidence growing as they hit upon a topic she knew well. "His work on water lilies was very insightful."
Fumiyo tilted her head and truly smiled for the first time in the whole conversation. "You are familiar with Sakoda Kenji?"
"I have used some of his techniques in the Hyuuga gardens," said Hinata. "They are very effective, if laborsome."
"Mmm, I was considering if they were worth the effort," said Fumiyo. She tapped her fingers thoughtfully along the spine of the book. "What do you think? Would the climate on the coast make the effort worthwhile?"
"I think so," said Hinata. She smiled back at the princess. "Kenji's suggestions are very general, after all, and require considerable skill to implement well. I am still learning, of course, but so far the attempt has been going well."
"It is a very lengthy process then?" asked Fumiyo rhetorically. "I suppose it makes sense—Kenji always seems to prefer the slower road in this biography."
Hinata mused on that for a moment. "I think he is cautious and meticulous, but I would not consider that the same as wisdom. I have always felt it was a fear of the unknown and a need to find certainty in the world."
Fumiyo's smile turned sad. "A natural instinct, no? We have precious little certainty in our lives."
Hinata's smile was also sad, but backed by something else as she nodded. "Just so."
The silence that followed was much less stilted, less awkward, as everyone took a moment to savor the tea before it got cold. It was very good, not bitter at all, with the pleasant roundness and savoriness that came with a truly excellent green tea. Sayaka had been too focused on the conversation to notice.
"Say, miss, if you're the daughter of a samurai, does that mean you get training?" asked Naruto.
"In swordplay?" asked Fumiyo. "Of course, and the naginata as well."
"Ah, that's cool, I didn't know," said Naruto, grinning at her. "Say, do you want to spar later? I'm not any good at swords, but maybe you can teach me something!"
"Perhaps," said Fumiyo, smiling at Naruto's enthusiasm even as the rest of the table held back sighs. One did not engage in fisticuffs with one's client.
"Awesome! So like, how often do you train anyway? Do you do herbal salves and stuff like Hinata-chan? Oh, oh, and also, this tea is really good."
Fumiyo laughed and Sayaka let go of her urge to strangle Naruto for the barrage of questions. God, he really had no filter, did he?
"Well thank you, though Lady Hayashi buys the tea and not me," said Fumiyo when she had stopped. "As for your other questions: I train twice a week, mostly for conditioning. I'm expected to run if attacked, after all. As to herbal remedies, I only have a passing knowledge. Enough to treat scrapes and colds, when I have children, but not anything more extensive."
"Wait wait, 'Lady Hayashi'? Not 'Mom'?" asked Naruto, and Sayaka revoked her previous sentiments. He was going to die very horribly.
"Ah, well," said Fumiyo, her expression closing very swiftly. "She is my mother, of course, and she has shown me much affection."
"But-" Naruto began, before Sayaka sent him a glare as fierce as her Dragon Fire. It was obvious if he took a moment to think. Fumiyo was born from a night with more alcohol than sense, and so was, even if Lord Hayashi was a loving man, as much a valuable tool as she was beloved daughter. That was why the Lady Hayashi was not in attendance—after all, it wasn't her child at risk of assassination.
All of this clicked after a moment's hesitation, and Naruto's face quickly turned ashen. "I'm sorry," he said, looking down at the table, shamefaced. "Please, forgive my lack of sense."
"It's nothing," said Fumiyo, wrapping her fingers about her teacup. "She does not hate me, and for that alone I am grateful."
"Let's speak about lighter topics," said Kakashi. "Do you read any novels, Fumiyo? We've been trying to get Sayaka more pastimes outside of training, so maybe you have a few suggestions?"
"Ah, well, I suppose," said Fumiyo. She considered. "There's a few series that I could share? Do you like-"
There was a knock on the door, and Fumiyo stood with the rest of Team Seven to bow as Lord Hayashi walked in. Up close, he was just as impressive as he was in his armor. Whatever his weaknesses as an administrator of the city, he clearly believed in leading his soldiers by example.
"Ah, my apologies, honored guests," said Lord Hayashi, bowing in return. "I am quite tardy, and beg your forgiveness."
"We are honored to wait," said Kakashi. "I hope it was nothing too troubling which held you up."
"Oh, nothing as such," said Lord Hayashi. He smiled, but it was more like a grimace. "I am sure that Minami has briefed you on the struggles of Senfuku."
"She has," said Kakashi, nodding. "Konoha would be happy to help, of course."
"Perhaps," said Lord Hayashi. "But we will save that for another time. Let us begin eating, and consider these topics after we have some food in our bellies."
It was an excellent meal, served in the kaiseki style, and Lord Hayashi was very good at making banal conversation while studiously ignoring the looming elephants within the room. Fumiyo kept quiet unless spoken to, her expression carefully balanced to be charming but placid. Naga and Nobuo served the food, clearing the table silently between courses until they reached the end and were being served the dessert. It was some confection involving peaches that Sayaka couldn't identify. The chef had evidently taken some variety of creative license.
"Now that we are eating our sweets, the time has come for bitter topics," said Lord Hayashi with a heavy sigh. "What is your honest assessment of the threat to my daughter?"
"The procession should be delayed," was Kakashi's immediate response. "Minami has provided useful intelligence that I feel merits further investigation. I would recommend paying Konoha for a second B-rank intelligence-gathering mission and waiting until that team has drawn their conclusions before proceeding with the procession."
"This is not possible," said Lord Hayashi.
"I did not think so," said Kakashi. He sighed. "The arrangement you proposed in the contract is acceptable, if risky. We will do our best."
"I see," said Lord Hayashi. He considered the situation briefly before speaking again. "You would make no changes?"
"If you can change the route, then we should do so," said Kakashi. "My genin are skilled enough, but a sharpshooter with a musket is well able to accomplish their mission despite dying in the process. Otherwise, it is a good plan. Naruto and I would stand out in the procession, so placing us on the flanks is sensible. Both Hinata and Sayaka can provide excellent defense and are well-practiced in the protocol necessary for such occasions."
"Very well. Naruto will accompany one of my men and scout a new parade route," said Lord Hayashi. "We will want your kunoichi to coordinate with Fumiyo and her retinue for the parade, to ensure all will appear well. We will start with these measures tomorrow."
"With your permission, my lord, I would also find evacuation locations," said Kakashi. "My own, rather than the ones your men have scouted. It is merely paranoia, but if you would indulge me…"
Lord Hayashi nodded. "I trust it will not be a distraction."
"No sir."
"Then fine, do so at your discretion. There is no harm being cautious in this way."
"Thank you, my lord."
"Let us hope all of this is for nothing," Lord Hayashi said, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I had hoped… well, it was always a forlorn hope."
"Is my brother doing better now?" Fumiyo asked. Lord Hayashi sent her a weak smile.
"It was a hard birth, but yes, he is doing better now," said Lord Hayashi. He turned to Team Seven. "I'm sure you haven't heard, but my third child was born only a few weeks ago. The boy was earlier than expected and frail, but he has recovered and for that I will count my blessings."
"Congratulations, sir," said Kakashi, inclining his head. "It is good to hear that mother and child are doing well. You said this was your third?"
"Yes, Fumiyo's brother is my other son," said Lord Hayashi. He smiled indulgently. "A precocious boy, not much older than your genin, with a talent for the sword."
"That is good to hear," said Kakashi. "We are glad for your family, then, and wish you all good health."
"Thank you," said Lord Hayashi. "I-"
There was another knock on the door. "My lord, an urgent matter has arisen," said Minami, cracking open the door. "Captain Higurashi requests an audience."
Lord Hayashi sighed and smiled ruefully at Kakashi. "Well, another fire to go put out. I apologize, but I must attend to this. Thank you again for your service, shinobi."
All in attendance stood and bowed as Lord Hayashi swept out again, leaving behind his unfinished dessert. The door closed gently, and the assemblage sat back down.
Sayaka mused over the news of another son and found it wanting. True, needing to care for a newborn was an entirely reasonable excuse for not attending dinner, but Lord Hayashi likely had not realized the topics their conversation had touched upon before he had arrived. All things considered, it sounded more like a way to avoid the dinner rather than any real reason.
"So, I guess samurai families only let boys be heirs?" said Naruto glumly. Fumiyo nodded and picked at her dessert, and Naruto sighed. "Well, that blows."
"Naruto, let's not criticize our host with his ninja listening in," said Kakashi, looking meaningfully to where Nobuo and Naga were still standing at the wall.
"Sorry, sensei," said Naruto. He poked at his dessert. "I just- well, whatever."
"Do we have anything else scheduled tonight?" Sayaka asked. "We could scout the city if you think it's worth it."
"We should," said Kakashi with a nod. "Minami and I will need to spend some time going over the intelligence, but we may as well put a watch on the princess during the night."
"What're we looking for?" asked Naruto. "I thought you said Gato's ninja weren't a big deal?"
"Paranoia never hurts," said Kakashi with a shrug. He looked over at Fumiyo. "Unless it would make you uncomfortable, miss?"
Fumiyo shook her head. "I can show you my room when we're done eating?"
"Very well," said Kakashi. "Let's pay a visit then, and we'll sort out the rotation afterwards."
Despite being the disfavored child, Fumiyo's room was indeed fit for a princess.
"Wow, these are some fancy digs, princess," said Naruto, looking up at the ceiling in awe. "How much did you pay to paint your ceiling like that?"
"Naruto, that's rude," said Kakashi. Sayaka whapped the blonde on the head. "Though, it is very skillful work. It must have been quite an artist."
"Unfortunately, it has always been overhead since I came to the castle," said Fumiyo, "so I cannot provide any answers. Please, come in."
It wasn't really a "room" so much as it was its own one bedroom apartment, complete with its own small drawing room, bathroom, and, of course, Fumiyo's actual bedroom, where she slept. The drawing room was carefully furnished to be multipurpose, usable for entertaining guests and for studying. A bookshelf stood along one wall, next to a desk just large enough for calligraphy practice and writing letters. A low table, bracketed on two sides by a sofa and an armchair, sat in the middle of the room, facing the door. It was made of dark wood, richly carved, and placed atop a rug of many colors.
"Lord Hayashi is a man of good sense," said Kakashi as he paced around the drawing room, with its solitary, frosted-surface, chakra-seal-locked window. "It's good to work with such a client."
Fumiyo huffed a small laugh. "Not all samurai are still capable of war."
"You would think that it would take more than ten years for peace to soften them up," said Kakashi, pausing to run a finger along the seam of the window. It was solidly fixed into the wall of the mansion. "Well, I suppose it is only human nature to try and forget painful memories."
The room watched him for a moment as Kakashi fell silent, contemplating the past.
"Ah, look at me woolgathering," said Kakashi with sudden cheer. "Come along ducklings, let's make this a training exercise. How would you reinforce Miss Fumiyo's room to protect it against intrusion?"
Naruto, Sayaka, and Hinata looked at each other and ignored Fumiyo giggling at their nickname.
"Trap on the window," said Naruto first, raising his hand as if he was in class. "Also the door. Something that explodes, that way it'll be an alarm too."
"Ninja wire across the entrances, as a snare," said Sayaka next. "It'll delay them and give me time to attack or apprehend the intruder."
They all looked at Hinata. She gestured vaguely at her eyes. "I- I would probably s-see them first."
"Honestly, that's probably true," said Kakashi. "There's a reason we got this mission, after all."
"Is it- may I see?" asked Fumiyo. She folded her hands in front of her nervously. "I understand that ninja take these things very seriously, but I've heard so much about the legendary Byakugan…"
"Up to you, Hinata," said Kakashi. He pulled his book out of his pocket, tapping its spine thoughtfully against his hand. "Mmm… in fact, do you and Sayaka feel up to staying with the princess for a while? I'd like to take Naruto with me to scout the city."
"Y-yes sensei."
"I can."
"Alright, in that case, miss, I will leave you girls here for now," said Kakashi, bowing slightly. "I may not see you again tonight, in which case I bid you goodnight and hope you sleep well."
"My thanks, shinobi," said Fumiyo, returning the bow. "I hope your activities go well tonight."
"Thank you, miss. Naruto, let's head out."
"Yes sensei!"
Kakashi caught Naruto by the back of his collar as they left, keeping the blonde from haring off and startling the guards. Naruto made a noise, but held himself down and vibrated instead.
"See you guys later!" he said excitedly, before Kakashi slid the door shut behind him.
The girls watched the door for a moment, blinking.
"He's very excitable," said Sayaka before Fumiyo could voice the question she had opened her mouth to ask.
"Ah," said Fumiyo. She nodded in understanding. "That explains a lot."
