Reckoning Arc: Falling Sand
"He wants to retire?" Wasn't the Hokage only like fifty? No, there wasn't any pension plans here. Fifty for a ninja was probably considered old especially since his role was essentially an on-call role. It would explain why he looked older than she anticipated from someone his age.
Clan leaders were invited to a meeting with the Konoha Council shortly after the second Jonin Council meeting. Sakumo couldn't discuss most things, but he could share some considering it was just the three of them as far as clan affairs went. One such news was the Third's intent to pass the hat along.
"He isn't going to drop the position immediately, but he will begin putting thought about his successor. There never has been a chance to have a smooth transition, so this is new territory," said Sakumo.
"Are you going to retire too?" Kakashi's eyes pleaded and they could see he was on edge.
Sakumo's eyes widened as Kakashi was fearful of his answer. He placed a hand on his head in reassurance. "No." Kakashi relaxed to the answer.
Yuina tried to imagine Konoha under another Hokage. She wondered whether it would even make a difference. She wondered what the standards were, besides being strong, then remembered that the position was passed to a brother then student. A relative then? A student? A rush passed through her head as she remembered who his students were. Her face whitened. Tsunade left the village. She really hope it wouldn't be Jiraiya after she heard him make a flippant sexist remark. Not at her. It was the one time ahe was happy to be perceived as a child, but it still made her uncomfortable. Then there was Orochimaru, who she didn't know how her relationship with him would change if it was him. Worse, as his only student what would become of her future? Sarutobi, er, Asuma, was still in the academy. Did he have other family alive? Sarutobi. Sarutobi. She couldn't connect the name to anyone else. That didn't mean there wasn't anyone else, but it also wasn't a particularly good sign.
Kakashi left to get some extra training before his training with Minato once it was clear there was no other news.
Sakumo placed a hand on her forehead. "Are you having a bad day?"
"No." It wasn't a particularly great day, but her health was steadily improving. "Just thinking."
"You don't need to stress yourself."
"Do you have anyone you want to endorse?" Was that how these things worked?
Sakumo paused to think. He was pensive before he said, "I've never given it any thought." That was a long pause for a bunch of nothing.
Yuina internally sighed. It wasn't like her thoughts mattered. She had no influence on the decision.
She shook her head. "You know, Kakashi might not like it at first but you can retire whenever you want. Everyone deserves a break to relax and enjoy life."
"I meant what I said. I don't plan on retiring."
Soon or ever? It was moments like this that Sakumo's stubbornness glowed as brightly as Kakashi's.
Yuina gave Sakumo a side hug. "I'm headed out."
Yuina met up with the woman again. The one claiming to be called Shiganina.
She had tracked Orochimaru to ask. It wasn't his idea, but not much was said on the matter. Yuina disliked the shrouded secrecy. Especially since someone felt the need to butt in about what kind of training she needed. Whoever it was, it was none of their business! There were plenty of reasons secrets were kept. They shouldn't exist for personal training.
"My offer to do some healing still stands."
"Will you tell me your actual name?"
Shiganina smiled at her. It was amazing how much a look could exude so much warmth, and no, it wasn't from the sun.
"It would help if I understood why we're doing this." It would help her motivation and effort because she didn't have much of a reason to care.
"It's good to have contingency plans."
Yuina leaned back against the wall. She asked last time, but… "And this has nothing to do with me almost dying? Because what I need is more physical strength, not more ways to blend in."
Shiganina walked over to the small plant on the windowsill and caressed one of the leaves. She ignored Yuina's question to ask her own. "What lifestyle do you think is better for espionage? Sedentary or nomadic?"
Yuina gave in a little, accepting that she wasn't going to be able to control the flow of their conversation. "They both have their uses, though if you're asking if I had to choose one over the other with no context, then nomadic. There may be some knowledge harder to obtain in such a way, but they have high success rates because of the ease one can get in and out. Performers. Vendors. Travellers. Spiritual Figures." Even if she could trust every ninja in Konoha, she still wouldn't be able to fully relax because of it. Even a place completely closed off would have spies, but having an open flow of people allowed for people to set up a strong intel network. "Granted, the most intimate information is usually from someone who can fully integrate themselves, but a bit of knowledge and connections and some slight of hand can help bridge the gap."
Shiganina hummed. Yuina really couldn't read her. Fitting for the topic.
"Yes, they both are needed."
Yuina didn't voice her opinion further but the vest scenario would be having no need to be spying at all. She can understand suspicion and the power information held, but suspicion bred more suspicion. It would only take one spy being discovered to set someone off. That being said, people could spin their own nationalistic stories without a trigger and probably get away with it too considering the feudalism components of society.
Shiganina turned back to face Yuina. "Long term espionage is more delicate and fragile. Especially considering we can't depend on jutsu the same way. It's unlikely to apply to you though so let's focus on short-term espionage."
Yuina thought about transformations and clones. They wouldn't last in a long term situation meaning it's a wasted position on a well known person. Some ninja around the village may be familiarized with her, but she doubted she was on any foreign-nin's radar. She won't complain. She didn't like the sound of being a long-term spy anyhow.
It left an interesting question though. Shadow Clones were unique and dangerous as they were a double to sorts that could even copy an imprint of the mind. It benefitted her occasionally, but it left Yuina wondering how that worked. The mind was a true mystery to her and had zero knowledge how something like that could even come to be. It was even more amazing people could preform the jutsu without the intricate knowledge of how. If the mind can be imprinted on a clone she wondered if the same could be done to other things, like animals. Pseudo life and real life may be different though.
Shiganina gave easy to follow explanations which were followed by exercises.
It was annoying how good of a teacher she was.
The last bit of sand from the hourglass fell and Yuina thought the lessons were over until Shiganina flipped it over to reset the time. "Again."
The falling sand counted down.