At first, she hadn't known what to expect. Despite her many years spent at Hiruzen's side, some even spent helping him with the stacks of paperwork he never seemed to get rid of, she didn't quite know all that the job of Hokage entailed.
Shikaku spent the first night of her service trying to teach her all the ropes of her new assignment. He was careful in how he worded things and made sure she never stumbled across anything private or above her rank.
The first night dragged on. Even after Genma fetched both Raidou and Iwashi (And by Kami they had been surprised), it had taken them all hours to finish up the bits of paperwork left over from the invasion alone, the rest of the mountainous stacks looming over them in a deadly tirade.
They had eventually been able to go home, Akihane taking up residence on her bed, only to be nearly squished when Genma, Raidou, and Iwashi took up residence on the mattress as well. Settled in the middle of their warm and comforting bodies, Akihane had drifted into sleep without further prompting.
She woke up at six in the morning to start her stretches and go for a jog that led her to the Hokage's office. She started up the stairs and stepped into the empty office without a thought. Shikaku and Ibiki had already arrived and were trying to sort through the work before them.
Sighing heavily, Akihane raised her fingers and spawned in ten shadow clones.
"Start organizing the files. Missions in one pile, insurance another, and then place all others in another stack. After then have two people sift through each stack and check them off. Dispel every two hours so I can file the memories." Akihane ordered, turning toward Shikaku and Ibiki while she started running through plans.
The two gazed at her with hidden emotions, Ibiki's eyes lit with a familiar light of both curiosity and interest.
"Alright, what needs to be addressed immediately? If we can get the main things out of the way then we'll have room to start recuperating." Akihane spoke. Her eyes fluttered shut and she pushed back any unnecessary noise and thoughts before she gazed back at her superiors. They would be here for a while.
The three became all business in a moment.
"Currently the village is struggling to get back on its feet. We have a number of funds saved for this situation, however, with the extent of the damage, there are several fears we'll need to start up missions again. On the topic of missions, we also need a way to handle the rebuilding of different areas and the influx of D-Ranks that are bound to occur."
Akihane settled on the couch beside Ibiki, Shikaku having dragged a chair up while a table with documents lay between them.
"If you need to manage that then shift who takes them. D-Ranks aren't too hard and Sandaime-Jiji did mention sending Academy Students in their last years, or even those that failed the exams and are left to redo courses, to handle D-Ranks in the village."
Akihane spoke up, her eyes shifting to meet those of her superiors.
"The Academy wasn't harmed too much, so that could easily be turned into another missions area for the lower ranks. I know that you both have to handle the higher ranks, such as Jonin and ANBU, possibly Chunin, but you could leave the Genin to the Chunin instructors and their Sensei. There won't be class held after the invasion anyway."
Akihane finished and waited for the two to think over her proposal. It was still too early for her words to be taken at the drop of the hat, and neither Jonin knew her as well as her Jiji had. Ibiki, for all the time she spent under his tutelage, didn't know her lat well. The same went for Shikaku, though he mostly saw her when Shikamaru dragged her along or when she was tailing Hinata.
Ibiki leaned forward and rubbed a hand over his jaw.
"That could work. The Academy Students are going to need a way to distract themselves anyways, so this could help. We'll have to work out the structure and what missions the students can take…but it could work."
Shikaku sighed and relaxed a fraction before he brought up another issue.
"Next we have the problem of how to rebuild. Reconstruction begins immediately today, but we still need supplies and support for what is happening." Shikaku spoke.
Ibiki mulled over his words and added on to them with "-Suna stated they'd help us where we needed it. After the death of their Village Leader and the circumstances regarding their position in the invasion, they have agreed to do what is needed. Perhaps asking for materials wouldn't be bad."
Shikaku sighed.
"If they don't see that as us trying to weaken them. We had to deal with Buki refusing to offer troops, yet we also had to compromise with the council in order to keep out a truce and not wipe Suna off the map."
Akihane glanced at the men, trying to work with what she had been given and think of a solution.
The Council was proving to be stubborn. They would reject outside sources because they didn't want to seem weak after being invaded, and yet…
"Would it be alright to bring in secondary contractors? Perhaps some that already owe us?" Akihane spoke up, her eyes narrowing as she thought about what she was close to proposing.
She had saved a few people in her time as a ninja, even a country, and she knew she could cash in several favors. In fact, she also knew of a certain Feudal Lord that could assist them.
Shikaku and Ibiki met her gaze, both questioning.
Akihane felt the urge to squirm under their combined scrutiny, however, she managed to speak both clearly and firmly.
"Tazuna-San of Wave, the Fire Temple, Merchants from the Capital, and even the Daimyo himself. If we can acquire their aid than we would be set. Only Tazuna-San is outside the country, and even then he still owes Konoha and promised to come should we need it. The Fire Temple had helped Konoha in the past when disaster struck, and the Merchants can only get business from the whole mess." Akihane told them.
Ibiki huffed, crossing his arms as he leaned back. He was eyeing her warily, as though he had just realized how much of a threat she could truly be. After a moment, he questioned her.
"The Daimyo?"
Akihane sighed and gazed down at her hands. The palms were spread so she could gaze at them, her chakra swirling lazily about her even as felt the multitude of signatures waking outside of the Hokage Tower.
"Allow me to talk to him. I've conversed with him before and he even asked Sandaime-Jiji to bring me to see him the next time he went…I can ask for his help."
Shikaku and Ibiki looked back to one another.
"That could work." The Nara Commander replied lowly. He shifted his gaze to Akihane, his eyes lingering on her calloused fingers.
"There is also the matter of the new Hokage." He said.
Stiff silence trailed around them. Even after Akihane looked up at the men, no one said a word.
None of them were sure where to begin there.
I~~~~I
"Daimyo-Sama." Akihane greeted over the transmission.
She hadn't talked to the Lord of the Land of Fire in a long time. Both times she had done so prior were always in person, though this time was different.
Instead of talking face-to-face the two greeted one another over a screen. Genma stood at her right hand, while Shikaku stood to her left. Ibiki and the two advisers both stood at the door to the meeting room, each watching her carefully.
"Ah, Uzumaki-Hime. It's good to see you again. I only wish it was less…strenuous circumstances." The Daimyo greeted her.
His soft voice trailed form the amplified speakers settled on either side of the large screen they stood before. A new form of technology, one that wasn't quite full-proof but still incredibly useful. The screen had been in development for the past year and only now was cleared for use.
"It is a pleasure to see you as well, Daimyo-Sama. I do wish we could have met another time, but for now, duty calls. Konoha wishes to request your aid."
The Daimyo paused, his eyes shifting from her to the two adults at her side. He hummed softly and offered her a gentle smile.
"Very well. I will see whom I can spare. Will you inform me of what you need?" He asked.
Shikaku stepped forward and started to relate what they were looking for. The Daimyo kept rapt attention, adding in his own thoughts as they bartered over what would and would not be given.
Akihane watched the two closely, taking mental notes of the exchanges while standing tall. She had to act the part of a Hokage's stand-in, a fact not many knew currently, though some had guessed. The Daimyo had no doubt figured it out, smart man that he was behind his happy nature, while the former Hokage Guard Platoon all knew. Shikaku and Ibiki were of course in the know, which meant the ANBU Commander and the heads of the Chunin and Genin divisions had most likely been informed. That left the rest of the council and the Shinobi themselves.
The Elders would keep her position under wraps as much as they could until a successor was chosen. They wouldn't want other nations to take advantage, or for people to get it in their heads that she was usurping their power and undermining them.
This fiasco hadn't been her fault, but not everyone would see it that way.
"Uzumaki-Hime." The Daimyo addressed her.
She inclined her head and stepped beside Shikaku, her gaze never leaving the Daimyo's. The man's eyes softened on her and he sighed gently.
"Don't allow this to get to you. You have a strong head on your shoulders and access to stronger allies. Through both our relationship and those I had with your clan, I grant you the Blessing of Fire. I know that you will use it well and make your family proud of you."
The Fire Daimyo nodded to her again, his smile never fading. Akihane had to withhold a gasp, her head dipping low as she struggled to withhold tears from her eyes.
"Hai. I-I will Daimyo-Sama."
From there the transmission cut, leaving Akihane to slowly raise her head. Her eyes, while wet, did not spill tears. Genma settled a hand on her shoulder in support, his soft voice drifting past her ears.
"They would both be proud of you," Genma told her softly, squeezing her shoulder as she nodded.
"I know." She spoke gently, turning quickly on her heel. Ibiki straightened as the girl inclined her head to him and the Elders, stopping before the two elders with a straight face.
"I would like to send word to Tazuna-San and Chiruku-San now. Is there anything else you need me?" The Chunin stood tall, never faltering even in the face of her elders. There was shock hidden underneath the advisor's gazes, neither expecting the distinct change. Almost like a switch was flipped. The night before had drawn similar results, only they hadn't realized how daunting the change was until now.
When neither advisor offered her further instructions, Akihane nodded to them and marched from the room, calling behind her.
"Genma-Ni, go grab the others."
With that she fled down the hall toward the hawk tower, her eyes set and determined.
She could feel the pulsing of her heart as it pushed the blood in her veins, could hear the smallest steps of her feet against the wood.
Her senses expanded without prompting, shifting over every surface and every crack. Too many details, too many things to catalog or pay attention to.
Multiple times, she had nearly overloaded her senses by simply branching out. Her chakra and her psyche were both quite delicate in nature, but neither stopped her from continuing. She would train her senses, would train her mind and push herself until she broke. She had too much riding on her shoulders to not try and manage the burden in the first place.
Her steps drew her upstairs, around and around the tower she needed. Her hands brushed the scrolls she had written earlier that morning, her thoughts running rampant with all that needed to be done.
Her clones were still handling the paperwork, one dispelling every two hours as she had stated. She had set them on a pattern and now she was able to accumulate the information into storage after picking out the finer details. Requests for trade agreements, mission statements, applications for the Academy, Chunin mission files…So many different branches that the Hokage really didn't need to oversee, and yet he dealt with them anyway.
Shaking her head Akihane stepped through the door to the message tower's peak, where hawks slept and lived until one was needed. Akihane didn't pause when those manning the tower glanced at her. Instead, she went toward the row of hawks she knew best resided.
Her errands for the Hokage often included heading up the tower to send off messages, and Ibiki had even used her as an errand girl a few times. She knew which Hawks were the best, which were kept for ANBU, which flew best in the wind and which flew best in the rain. She knew most by name and also knew how to call them with different whistles.
Those in the tower also knew her by extension, though her relationship with the hawks tended to work out better than those with either the Cypher Core or the Shinobi left on messenger duty.
"Daisuke," Akihane called, reaching out to the dark black hawk resting further from the others. The Hawk crowed to her, hopping from the metal stand to her arm without further prompting. Akihane took a moment to stroke the bird down his back, smiling gently at him.
The bird was one of her favorites. At one time, he had belonged to Shisui, however, when the boy received the Crow Contract he had given the bird to Akihane as a birthday gift. Since then she had kept him in the tower for other's use, though she came as often as she could to visit and take care of the bird.
"I need you to take this letter to the Fire Temple." She told the bird as she stroked his feathers, making sure to show the scroll she had to the Hawk before she placed it in the tube at its back.
The Messenger Hawks that Konoha used were quite special. They were specially bred with Chakra to withstand more than normal birds, and they also were raised to understand not only human tongue but also geography. Most birds only specialized in one area of the Elemental Nations, though the special few that were prized among even the best Hawks were trained to take scrolls anywhere. Those were the birds used for moments of devastation, such as now or wartime.
Daisuke, while strong and fast, wasn't quite the best. He was still better than most, and since he was Akihane's, no one could say anything about her abusing Village Resources.
The Hawk nipped at her finger, its beady black eyes meeting her own squarely.
Akihane sighed and unsealed a bit of her breakfast from that morning, feeding some spare strips of fish she had kept exactly for this occasion.
"To Chiriku-San, please. Only allow him to read it. That is all."
Akihane finished, the bird taking his treat with a jerk of his head before he spread his wings and flew out the tower.
Akihane watched him go with a gentle smile before she turned toward the others in the building.
"Do you mind if I summon something? I don't want to interfere with your work." Akihane questioned the two, earning shakes of their heads as the two Chunin stared at her. One of them Akihane recognized as a friend of Kotetsu, while the other was a mystery to her.
Nodding in thanks, Akihane channeled chakra into her hand and slammed it into the ground.
Smoke erupted from the ground, a small purple and red figure appearing before her.
The Toad was a light shade of red and had three violet triangles positioned on his face. Two of the triangles mirrored each other on either side of his face, covering his yellow eyes with the darker hue, while the last one lay between the horns on his head. A pair of brown goggles hung about his neck and two odd brown circles lay beneath his horns.
"Hello, Kōsuke-San. I was wondering if you would be able to deliver a message to someone for me." Akihane questioned the Toad, remaining crouched as she lifted another scroll from her grasp.
She could have summoned two toads and sent one to Chiriku and another to Tazuna, however, Akihane was playing this out carefully. By sending a toad to Tazuna she showed that he was more of a priority, and she also showed that despite holding Chiriku in high regard, she was more interested in the help Tazuna could offer.
Kosuke nodded to her with a smile. "Of course, Akihane-Hime."
Akihane withheld a grimace at the title and instead offered the scroll to the toad.
"This goes to Tazuna-San, the Bridge Builder, in the Land of Waves. He is located in the central town and shouldn't be hard to locate. After delivering the message, please wait for a reply. That'll be all." Akihane told the toad.
Kosuke nodded to her and took the scroll. He stored it away and then clapped his hands together to perform a Reverse Summoning Jutsu.
"It shall be done Akihane-Hime!"
With that, the toad vanished in a puff of smoke.
Akihane sighed and ran a hand through her hair before she rose from her crouch. Ahead of her, the two Chunin were eyeing her oddly, both looking oddly intimidated and confused.
She couldn't blame them. After the Chunin Exams, many people had second-guessed their previous assumptions about both her abilities and her actions. They didn't know what to think of a girl who had faced off against students of Kurotsuchi, the Land of Stone's primary Kunoichi, nor could they fathom Akihane facing Orochimaru not once, but twice, and surviving.
Akihane bid the two farewell, heading down the stairs toward the Hokage's Office once more. She nearly tripped when a surge of memories filed through her mind, her eyes shutting tightly as she sorted through the information.
More trade agreements, two missions, one admittance for the Jonin Exams…Another specialization form, a dozen hospital, and insurance claims…And multiple Property Reports.
Sighing Akihane started walking again, her eyes remaining closed as she placed the information under separate labels for her foxes to look after.
Her feet twisted and she swung around a hurrying Jonin, the man nearly running into her as she walked. He didn't pause and continued onward as she wove through the now busy halls of the Hokage Tower.
No one paid much mind to her as she walked with her eyes shut, the information within finally dying down from the previous onslaught.
On the bright side, she'd be getting more practice dealing with Shadow Clones and their Memory returns than she ever had before. Perhaps she could increase her normal training regimen as well.
Her eyes snapped open and she sidestepped three eager Genin, all of them not much younger than herself. Their Jonin Sensei rushed after them, annoyance clear of his features.
She took a moment to take in the scene, breathing through the stress weighing on her shoulders and the amount of conditioning she'd have to go through in the days following her 'promotion'.
Even if her world felt like it was shattering, there were still people who were living the same lives, following the same flow. A rive of time, a never-ending stream that continued throughout their lives and further on, dragging in those around them so that they all intermingled.
Her world may be crumbling, but that didn't mean those around her had to pick up the pieces. She'd lift them up with her faltering steps, would guide them through the sneers and the judging looks even if it killed her.
"Chunin Uzumaki." A voice called out, dragging Akihane's attention to the newly arrived figure.
The man was dressed as an ANBU shoulder be, wearing both the chest plate and limb guards. His face was covered by the mask of a turtle, Kame if she remembered correctly. The male had spiky black hair hidden behind his mask and he held himself a lot like Genma did when in uniform.
"Hai?" Akihane questioned, paying attention to the ANBU even as she sensed Raidou and Iwashi trialing up behind them.
"The Elders request your presence," Kame told her, his voice dull and non-descript. Akihane raised a brow at him but nodded anyway. She offered her hand to him in a gesture for him to take her, ignoring the fact that Raidou and Iwashi were just about to spot them.
Without further prompting, Kame grasped her arm and they vanished in a soundless, leafless Shuinshin.
I~~~~I
The two of them dropped into the near-empty Council Room. Shikaku and Ibiki were nowhere to be found, while Genma was standing before Utatane Koharu with an unsettled frown. Mitokado Homura was not present, which in itself was odd enough. It was rare to see one elder without the other, let alone be addressed by only one.
"You summoned me, Utatane-San?"
Akihane addressed the Elder, making sure to bow in greeting to the woman while keeping her eyes on her.
Koharu paused and gazed at Akihane with pursed lips before she looked sharply to Kame. The ANBU was still standing behind her, a fact that was not lost on Akihane.
"Kame, you may reveal yourself to Uzumaki-San." The woman swiftly ordered.
Akihane blinked in surprise, glancing behind her to the ANBU officer.
To her shock, the ANBU removed his mask. His hair changed from the black hue to a light brown. His features shifted without the seals on the mask, his jaw taking a more boxed shape while his cheeks turned hollow. The man gazed down at her, his eyes a brighter shade of hazel than any she had ever seen.
"This is Tenzo, code name Yamato. Outside of close quarters, you will refer to him as Yamato-Taichou or Sensei. He is going to be the one to teach you how to use your bloodline." Koharu paused and stepped forward.
"Go ahead and show her, Tenzo," Koharu ordered the ANBU.
Kame, or Yamato Akihane supposed, clapped his hands together.
Akihane's eyes widened and she looked sharply to the roots that had just grown out of the wooden floor below them.
Her mouth parted slightly and she tried to reign in her surprise when the roots retreated back into the flooring.
He could use Mokuton. This man, this ANBU that she had witnessed guarding the Hokage multiple times and even herself, knew and was able to use Mokuton.
"This is…I don't think that he is related to us, but I could be wrong. From what you told me Senshi only had one child, and Minato only ever had you. Perhaps…he's from Hashirama-Ni's branch." Tobirama echoed her thoughts, his curiosity urging her to ask the question held at the tip of her tongue.
"H-How?" Akihane questioned Yamato, trying to piece together what she was given.
She had never heard of Yamato, or even Tenzo, which meant he must have been raised in ANBU rather than the normal Shinobi forces. If he had such control of his abilities than more than likely he had been put there at a young age to protect him from those who would want his abilities for himself…
The main question was how the heck Yamato was able to use Mokuton. She had her ties to Tobirama, but this man was most definitely not her brother or uncle. If anything, he could be part of Hashirama's line, but Hashirama had one son who had two children. Tsunade had never birthed an Heir that anyone knew of, and her brother was too young to have kids when he died.
This man was a mystery to her, and she wanted to solve him.
Yamato paused as she looked her over, taking in the way her eyes flashed before she questioned him softly.
Instead of Yamato answering her, Koharu did.
"Orochimaru performed experiments before he was exiled…Tenzo happens to be a result of one of them. For now, all you need to know if he can help teach you to control your abilities."
The older woman told her, earning a sharp nod as Akihane registered the sharpness in the woman's tone.
"Hai, Utatane-San."
Genma remained silent during this exchange, his heart heavy even as he looked at Akihane and her new teacher.
He knew Tenzo, had worked with the boy at a young age alongside Kakashi and Raidou. Hayate had made it his job to teach the kid how to use a sword, while Kakashi had made sure they all returned from a mission in one piece. Tenzo was a part of his platoon, a part of his family in ANBU.
"Tenzo will be joining the regular Shinobi Forces under the guise of your teacher, but make no mistake he is still ANBU. No one is to know his identity or real purpose. Am I understood, Uzumaki-San?" Koharu questioned the Chunin, earning a sharp nod as the girl took the pose of a soldier addressing their superior.
Satisfied, Koharu waved the girl off and walked out of the room.
The moment she was gone, Akihane dropped to the floor and crossed her legs over one another, groaning and muttering under her breath.
"I swear this just gets worse and worse. Next thing you know Ero-Sennin is going to come and drag me off on some crazed training trip or something…Shit, I wish I could drink." Akihane sighed and looked up at Tenzo.
"Yamato-Taicho, correct?" Akihane asked the man, earning a nod.
Akihane offered the man a tired smile and looked at Genma.
"Did Iwashi and Raidou handle what I needed to be done? Also, I have a few ideas for the paperwork I want to run by you as soon as we can get things under control." Akihane said.
Genma hummed and nodded at her, his concerned gaze trailing her up and down.
Her eyes didn't have drastic circles, nor did she slouch or show any true signs of exhaustion, and yet Genma still saw her weariness.
It showed in the tight line her lips settled into, in the way she didn't push her bangs from her face and the way that she spoke. Normally she had an edge to her words, whether it was happy, content, or even mischevious, there was always something. Now she was just going through the motions.
She had barely started with her new duties, and already Genma knew that she was struggling. Balancing the position of Hokage was difficult enough as an adult, but for Akihane? A small child who despite being a Kunoichi still had an entire life ahead of her did not need to stress of such a position. It was true she didn't have all the duties, that he along with Shikaku and Ibiki took care of the more serious matters, but that didn't change the fact that Akihane bound to be overwhelmed.
Despite all that, despite the stress and the weight on her, she still stood from the floor. She rose to her full height and closed to eyes, collecting herself carefully.
Genma had to admire her courage and her stupidity.
I~~~~I
"Why is there a report belonging to the police department in the Hokage's work? Tobirama and I made sure that anything that could be handled by the civilians was…including complaints."
Hashirama's annoyed pout echoed in her head, his words bringing forth a headache as Akihane signed off on several reports and stamped rejections onto others.
"I'm more curious about the fact that Hiruzen allows his mission reports to be signed off by him. During Wartime this is a common occurrence, however, in peacetime, the Commanders of each branch are supposed to handle these. Also, since when did we make Genin paint fences? I was certain that was considered community service for the Graduates in order for them to pass…"
Tobirama voiced, earning a hum of agreement from his brother.
Akihane sighed and mourned the quietness that used to blanket her thoughts, despite the help both men had given her over the past few hours when signing off reports or missions.
'More than likely Jiji had an overflux of work. He told me that a lot of the actions in the War cost the Hokage power and left the Council with more mandate than normal, but he never stated that they bogged him down with such useless trifle. I've voiced my opinion to him multiple times, though he never got around to fixing it. Always something more important or something that needed more attention. Stressful and annoying in my opinion.'
Akihane told the previous leaders, handing off several stacks of work toward Genma. She then moved on to another stack her Clones had sorted, muttering in annoyance when she saw it was more complaints.
'Either way, the subject of Shinobi letting someone's chickens out of a pen should not need the Hokage's eyes, nor his time.'
She thought, withholding another aggrieved sigh as she took out a scroll, a pen, and started writing. She made notes for the types of missions and where they could go, as well as notes on the forces in the village.
From what she had seen of the village's inner workings so far, Akihane was not impressed.
She stamped the papers in rapid succession before moving on to another stack, one handwriting notes while the other dealt with the paperwork.
"Oh! How about if you divided the village into divisions? Before the Police force, we used Divisions in the village to keep up with the inner workings and what not. If you can divide things it might be easier than having one section. The Uchiha were good at keeping the peace, but not everyone can manage things like they could…hmm, perhaps if you added civilians to the force…"
Hashirama trailed off into his murmuring. By now Akihane was rather used to the man's line of thinking, though it still surprised her how the ditsy man managed to create solutions for certain problems.
Still, the idea of dividing the police force' duties was smart. She jotted down that info and kept up with the paperwork, ignoring the looks she was garnering from not only her brothers, but also Tenzo(whom she had drafted to help after a little arguing), Shikaku, and Ibiki.
If they were surprised with the way she handled paperwork, then that was their problem. She had helped Jiji before this whole mess and she knew how to get through the papers efficiently.
"Perhaps you should get another clone to help out with these…and find a way to lessen the amount that comes into the office." Tobirama informed her. He seemed to be trying to think of more ways for them to improve the current system.
Akihane allowed the man to settle into his thoughts, entertaining the thought that both she and her grandfather tended to get lost in their own minds more often than not. It was a little comforting to know where you got some of your habits from. The mere idea of sharing anything with anyone, be it blood or mechanisms, made her happy.
Akihane allowed a smile to grace her features and she pushed more paperwork to the side after she finished. She reached for another pile, calling out to her clones.
"How much do we have left?"
As she bickered with her clones, Shikaku and Ibiki both met each other's stares.
They had been trying to decide whether or not to voice their suspicions about the Uzumaki, but the glares that drifted to them from her overprotective brothers had kept their mouths shut.
How was it that the Kunoichi knew what she did? How was it that Hiruzen managed to keep this girl under their radar so effectively that not even Danzo knew her true potential?
Akihane was an utter mystery wrapped up tightly in Uzumaki Politics, older brothers, two insanely protective sisters, and a great number of powerful people with deep pockets. She had many of the ANBU treadings on her every word, a good number of the clan heads wary of her movements, and somehow she had inserted herself seamlessly into the most influential families in Konoha. She was an adopted Sarutobi, not even the Civilians could deny the family's fondness for the girl, and she had not only the approval but also the friendship and protection of the Uchiha, Hyuuga, and even Nara Heirs.
If anyone tried to attack Akihane, figuratively or literally, they would find themselves facing more than they bargained for.
This power play, the act of placing Akihane in a position that few Jonin would even be recommended for, only secured the girl's protection.
Hiruzen had known she'd need anything she could get, that the faintest of mistakes could cost Akihane not only her freedom but also her will. She was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the main asset to the village and the last Uzumaki they had. She also held the famed Senju Bloodline and was also related to not one, but three Hokage and adopted by another.
Shikaku groaned and placed his head in his hands, sighing heavily as Akihane dispelled a clone for nagging her.
He peaked at the girl through his hands, thinking about the redhead she resembled quite well.
"Troublesome…" He muttered.
Ibiki nodded in agreement.
I~~~~I
Thus, everything picks up. There will be a bit of time jumping after this since I'm eager to get to the Tsunade Arc. Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing, I hope you enjoyed!
I officially realized that I messed up with publishing the chapters. This is actually the Thirty-Seventh and the chapter that had originally been here was the Thirty-Eigth. Gahhhhh. I messed up, but it's fixed now.
Drabble- Yamato
He didn't know what to think of his new student.
When Koharu-San had come to him and asked him to train the girl he had thought the elder was insane.
He wasn't good with kids, let alone girls.
Yet, Akihane wasn't what one would define as a child.
She looked the part, true, but she never acted like one.
Even when the girl pulled her famous pranks she always had a greater agenda in mind.
Most of the time retribution was key, now, however, there was something else lurking in her eyes.
He had been informed that she was made the standing leader until a new Hokage could be found, thought the fact didn't click until he watched her order her clones around and start filing paperwork.
Her brothers, men he had served with, were very protective and fussed over her before returning to the rest of their work.
Naru Shikaku sat beside Morino Ibiki across from the brothers, the two developing strategies regarding the safety of the village and the placement of ninja for the next few months they'd spend in recovery.
All the while Akihane worked, her features twisting from amusement to annoyance as she thought about her work.
Her hand continued to scrawl notes on the parchment of a scroll, careful lines forming recommendations for the next leader.
From what Tenzo could read off of her hand movements, the girl had a good head on her shoulders and was far too brilliant for her own good.
Another pause, the girl thinking something else over before a genuine smile crossed her lips.
She looked to be laughing at an inside joke, except she wasn't looking at anything but an insurance paper.
Perhaps she had thought of something interesting?
Yet, Tenzo had seen her do this multiple times.
It was almost as if she were conversing with someone else in that head of hers.
Curious.
