'Thoughts/Signing'

"Speaking"

"Seal Symbols/Words"

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Masashi Kishimoto. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

As they entered his office, Minato noticed a genjutsu covered Kakashi had positioned himself against the windowsill with his favorite book in hand. Minato raised his eyebrow at Kakashi's choice of reading. Kakashi only shrugged and flipped the page. Minato internally sighed and bypassed a large potted bonsai tree near his desk. Behind the plant, hidden by a genjutsu, was Mouse. Tanuki closed the door behind them and stood guard alongside Robin in the waiting room.

When Sora walked in, she forced herself not to react when the ice-cold sensation from her fingertips spread along her arm. She paused at seeing the white-haired man again, except this time he had a blurry outline around his whole body. Seeing the Hokage's fine oak desk that spanned the length of his office window, she went to stand in front of it. As she walked closer to the desk, she spotted a familiar bonsai tree next to it. She internally smiled. It was one of her firsts she had grown. Her ears picked up the familiar soft voice belonging to the bonsai tree. It told her stories of what had occurred inside the office. Behind the plant, she blinked as she saw an Anbu with a mouse mask. He had a blurry outline around the shape of his body as well.

Mouse tensed, 'She looked right at me.'

Seeing him tense, Sora quickly averted her gaze and walked in front of Minato's desk. 'They must've been hiding underneath a genjutsu. Sorry to blow your cover, Anbu-san,' she thought.

Once seated, Minato asked, "May I ask something, Daimyo-sama?"

Sora nodded for him to continue. "Last I heard from the previous Daimyo was that there were three final nominees to become his successor. While the document you showed me is proof of the change in Daimyo, Konoha has not received any word about it prior to your arrival."

Sora's eyes furrowed in confusion. Minato narrowed his eyes, "From your reaction, I can only assume that you sent a message?"

Sora nodded her head. "I sent three. The first was an invitation to Konoha inviting her and her Hokage to the swear in ceremony. The second was a request for a team to escort me from the capitol to Konoha for the first biannual meeting. The third was yesterday stating that I was in route to Konoha and for you to expect me to arrive today."

Minato internally flinched. To lose one message was bad enough, but three was a cause for concern. He tentatively asked, "Did you use a messenger hawk?" Hawks were commonly used to carry messages because they were the fastest. It was the preferred species of bird to use by most people, including the previous Daimyo.

Sora shook her head no. "Each scroll was carried by Chujitsuna the Crow."

Everyone in the room stiffened. They knew of the messenger bird she had used. While the use of a crow as a messenger bird was rare, they were chosen for their ability to blend in amongst other crows. Chujitsuna was also known to be the pickiest and fussiest messenger bird who would often give the Aviary Department strife.

Noticing that they all tensed, Sora cocked her head to the side and asked, "Were the messages compromised?"

Minato quickly shook his head no. "Chujitsuna arrived at three occasions. Each time baring a scroll." He narrowed his eyes at Sora, "However, all three scrolls emitted varying bolts of electricity to anyone who touched it."

Sora's eyes went wide in surprise before frowning in concern. "I had inputted safety precautions into those scrolls should they get into the wrong hands."

At this, Minato and Kakashi narrowed their eyes while Mouse stiffened. Minato quickly activated his privacy seal. He was about to gesture for her to explain but paused to watch Sora who was analyzing his seal work.

Sora whistled out in amazement. While his privacy seal was one of the best that she had seen someone else create, she can still feel the cold soul in the corner of the room. She looked at him wide eyed, "It is one of the best I've seen so far." She lowered her voice, "Unfortunately, so is your uninvited guest."

Minato's eyes widened as a seal appeared underneath Sora's feet. Kakashi and Mouse flared their chakra as they immediately got ready to defend their Hokage. Tanuki and Robin quickly entered the room and placed themselves besides their Hokage. She may be the Daimyo, but they had more loyalty to Minato. Both Sora and Minato knew this. Minato quickly ordered, "Do not attack our Daimyo. That is an order."

Seeing them move in front of their Hokage, Sora sent them a small smile. As her seal began to envelope the whole room, the corners of the seal lit up green then turned red. She looked at Minato, "This is a privacy seal that I've created. Green means it is safe. Red means the location has been compromised."

Everyone stiffened. They watched as the red lights than began to converge to a corner, furthest away from the Hokage. The red lights then began to form an outline of a body. The body seemed to be struggling to move. "I believe that's who's been listening in. The seal will keep them immobile but will not stop them from listening to the conversation."

Minato nodded his head and Kakashi went to knock the person unconscious. A few minutes later, the seal flashed green as Kakashi returned with a man wearing a painted snake mask with a Konoha forehead protector. Sora forced herself not to react as she sensed two seals coming from the nin. Both were the same ones that were on her stalkers back at the capitol.

Minato flared his chakra twice and an Anbu wearing a monkey mask appeared. Sora internally cursed as she sensed the same seals coming from him, 'Does the Yondaime know about the seals?'

Sora observed Minato as he directed Monkey to take Snake to be interrogated. They both disappeared. Seeing nothing that suggested that he knew about the seals, Sora internally growled, 'He doesn't know. This is not good. How many of his men are compromised?'

Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he heard a very tiny sound of a heartbeat, almost like that of a child. If he had not been focusing on her intently, he would not have heard it. 'Something set her off. But what?'

Robin and Tanuki stayed next to their Hokage while Mouse and Kakashi stood on either side of his desk. Minato stated, "I apologize if my men's reactions made you feel threatened, Daimyo-sama."

Sora waved a hand in dismissal. "There is no need to apologize. You are the Hokage of a shinobi village. Your men reacted to what they had conceived to be a threat to their Hokage, even if I was the Daimyo. They were only doing their job. I'm glad to see that you have some remarkable men amongst your ranks, Hokage-sama."

Minato hesitantly nodded, "Thank you, Daimyo-sama. Please continue on explaining about the safety precautions you've inputted into the scrolls."

Sora smiled briefly and continued, "When it was announced that I was to become the new Fire Daimyo, I had just finished making new messaging scrolls for my business. On the first day in office, I decided to incorporate them into my Daimyo duties as well. The foundation of my scrolls are based on fuinjutsu. There are specific placements for specific things, and the writer must have intent behind each brush stroke when writing down the receiver's name. Without those key elements, then anyone can open the scroll, even a child. Used correctly and my scrolls can only be opened by the intended reader or readers. I added safety precautions should they fall into the wrong hands."

Without taking her eyes off Minato, she informed him, "If one of my scrolls were in the hands of someone I trusted, while they cannot open the scroll, the scroll will not harm them in anyway. If my scrolls were in the hands of someone with no ill intent to the reader, then only small static shocks would occur."

Sora paused to take a breath, "However, if my scrolls were in the hands of someone who wanted to harm the reader, then it will send an electrical shock. Not to kill them, but enough to leave a mark." At this, everyone stiffened as there had been three people who had received those wounds after touching a scroll from Chujitsuna. All three had to be hospitalized. It was because of this that the Cryptoanalysis Department had deemed the scrolls unsafe for the Hokage to open.

Just as Minato was about to ask Sora a question, the green lights started to turn yellow and steadily to orange. The soft voice of the bonsai tree whispered in warning, 'The dark Man draws closer. Be careful Little Listener.'

Sora quickly deactivated her privacy seal when she felt three souls drawing closer to the building. Minato gave her a curious look before deactivating his seals as well. Sora forced herself not to look over at the double doors as the souls entered the waiting room. There was a black soul behind those doors followed by two who wavered between cold and warm. Sora kept her gaze forward towards Minato. Minato looked at Sora with a questioning look. Sora only gave him a small smile before putting on a poker face.

'Something spooked her,' Minato thought.

The sound of knocking was heard. He looked to Kakashi to let him know to protect the Daimyo if need be. Kakashi nodded in understanding. Whoever was behind those doors made her worried enough to put on a poker face that could rival a veteran shinobi's.

Minato called out, "Come in."

Walked in were the three Village Elders: Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura. Sora refuse to bow to the village elders. Not only were their souls off, but they also seemed familiar as well. Something inside Sora growled and stood on high alert, letting her know that at least one of them was dangerous.

Danzo growled out at Minato, "Why were we not notified immediately that the Daimyo was in Konoha?"

Minato answered, "The Daimyo had just arrived, Shimura-san. I was just about to send messengers out."

Danzo moved his glare towards Sora. Unfazed, Sora turned towards the Village Elders. While she refused to bow, she nodded her heads to acknowledge them, "You must be the Village Elders of Konoha, Mitokado-san, Utatane-san, and Shimura-san."

Minato and Kakashi tensed as Danzo loomed over her. He did not waste any time with pleasantries. "As per agreement between the Daimyo and the Hokage, word was to be sent out to announce your arrival before you entered the village gates. Konoha had received no such words."

'He's read the traditional contract,' Sora thought. 'But so have I.'

She stated, "The agreement also states that a delay in communication between a newly appointed Daimyo and/or Hokage is allowed as long as a personal visitation of either party occurs within a week of being newly appointed."

Danzo's face briefly showed his shocked face before he schooled his face to be neutral.

She steeled her voice and informed the council member, "Word about my arrival was sent using new communication scrolls that were dispersed amongst all of the capitol's delegates on the first day I was appointed. These scrolls will be given out to Konoha's Hokage and his officials during the first biannual meeting."

Before Danzo can say anything, Sora turned towards Minato, "Because Shimura-san had decided to apply the policies from the traditional contract between the Daimyo and the Hokage, I will continue to do the same."

Minato nodded his head in confirmation. He also made a mental note to go through the traditional contract between the Daimyo and the Hokage as soon as he got a chance. He was not expecting things to turn out the way it did.

Ignoring Danzo's glare, she continued, "As per agreement between the first Fire Daimyo and the Shodai, during my stay here in Konohagakure the first night will be spent at the current Hokage's home, while the next six nights will be spent at one of Konoha's founding clans' home. Given that the only living Senju is currently not residing in Konoha, I have chosen the Uchiha clan."

Minato's eyes widened in surprise before quickly schooling his face. He nodded in confirmation. "I will send word out to my wife and Fugaku-san of your announcement, Daimyo-sama."

Sora gave him a bow, "Thank you, Hokage-sama," and continued, "As per agreement with the second Daimyo and the Nidaime, I will announce the chosen shinobi to be my guards regardless of their rank or clan affiliation."

Danzo and the other village elders tensed. None of the previous Daimyo's had ever chosen to use that tradition after the Nidaime's passing. Minato nodded his head for her to say the names.

Without looking away, Sora announced, "Team Ro's Anbu Captain, Hound," Kakashi forced himself not to react. Continuing, she said, "His kohais: Neko," Danzo's soul flickered.

Sora ignored him and continued, "Fox and Crow will be my shadows as well as my shield."

Danzo was furious. Two Sharingan wielders were on guard duty. One of which he was supposed to be meet with tomorrow to ambush to obtain a new Sharingan to his collection. He was not prepared for the girl to read the traditional agreement so thoroughly or knew when or how to use it. He needed to quickly rectify his mistake.

Danzo coldly stated, "Some of the names you've listed have skills better suited for missions."

Sora turned to look at him dead in the eye. "Do you not want your best to guard your Daimyo, Shimura-san?" Danzo narrowed his eyes at her.

Unbothered, Sora turned towards Minato, "I am sure there are other shinobi whose skills can also complete those missions."

Minato nodded his head in confirmation. "Team Ro will be your guards with Hound as captain." Danzo's soul began to lash out in fury. Sora forced herself not to flinch.

Minato turned to Kakashi, "Get me Hound, Neko, Fox, and Crow. You are dismissed." Kakashi nodded his head and poofed away.

Minato turned towards Sora, "Should we discuss a date for the first biannual meeting?"

Sora stated, "I have a request before deciding on a meeting date."

Minato quirked his eyebrow while the three Village Elders turned to look at Sora. Minato nodded at her to proceed. "I would like a tour inside some of Konoha's buildings before we can have an official meeting. For each building, you may select up to ten potential tour guides. Of those ten, I will choose the person I want to become my tour guide for that building. I expect this will be finished in nine days' time. We can have the official meeting the day after that."

Koharu Utatane exclaimed out, "That is preposterous. No Daimyo has ever needed a tour inside Konoha's buildings before, especially a tour that lasts nine days."

Looking at Minato, Homura Mitokado nodded in agreement, "Hokage-sama, do not indulge in this silly request."

Minato stated, "As silly as it may sound, Village Elders, it is one request that I find no harm in agreeing to." He looked at Sora and continued, "As long as I am notified of which building you would like a tour of, and Team Ro will accompany you during your tours as well."

Sora nodded in confirmation then stated, "I want everything we had just discussed in writing. You, the Village Elders, and I will sign it, and your guard platoon will sign as witnesses."

The Village Elders looked flabbergasted. No Daimyo had ever requested for a formal writing to be created about the things they had verbally discussed before.

Danzo stated out, "Do you not trust us to keep our word, Daimyo-sama?"

Sora only shook her head no, "I prefer to form my own opinion of Konoha without the bias of others. The contract insures I am able to without the influence of those who holds a position of power."

If Sora thought Danzo's soul was angry before, this version was much worse. His soul started to take on a cold calculating feel to it. 'I must be ten steps ahead of this one,' she thought.

The other two Village Elders tensed as Minato nodded in agreement to her request. Sora pulled out a familiar dark red scroll from her sleeves. She ignored their stares while she wrote down what was discussed. She gave it to Minato to read it over. He nodded his head and they both signed it, followed by the Village Elders, and Minato's Anbu guard platoon last.

They all watched astonished as Sora made fourteen dark red scrolls appear from nowhere. She handed two to each of the Village Elders, the Anbu guard platoons, and Minato. "These are your copies. Two per person. I will be keeping the original. I trust that neither of you will lose both copies."

Minato analyzed Sora for a bit before nodding his head in confirmation. 'She likes forming contracts. How peculiar.'

Just as Sora placed the original agreement in her sleeve, a knock was heard. Minato stated, "Village Elders, I believe we are done here. Tanuki and Robin please escort the Village Elders out and let Hound and the others in."

As Village Elders walked out, Danzo sent one last look to Sora. As they left the waiting room, Hound and his team entered the office. Sora did not let go of her poker face until the black soul was no longer inside the building.