Satsuki watched as Yakumo and I prepared another series of canvases and metal frames for the tertiary testing of a new gate. While the project had been officially taken over by a group from ANBU's research and development division, the body language that the masked individuals had given off when Yakumo and I had started going over the underlying theory meant that it was going to be quite a while before anyone else could either understand or replicate the work we were doing.

In the meantime, we'd been commissioned to set up a half-dozen gates over varying distances and locations. Itachi had pulled rank and gotten himself put in charge of the entire affair, selecting a trusted set of subordinates to go through the grunt work of the various testing that was needed before condemned criminals were shuffled through.

Which... I mean, I had certain objections about, but...

Well, I also didn't enjoy being waved off as a naive child, no matter the flash of compassion and understanding Itachi didn't bother to hide when I voiced an opinion about more extensive animal testing as an alternative.

"Tenten came to talk to me and Yakumo," Satsuki spoke up as I sat down the tool I'd been using to acid-etch the seals that the frame needed.

I huffed a quiet laugh. "Huh, I didn't think she'd manage to do it before she left."

Satsuki looked away, her face souring slightly while Yakumo flushed and ducked her head as she visibly concentrated on doing very little work in order to listen in. The Uchiha heiress crossed her arms. "You could at least pretend to be a little interested. Do you even want to date any of us?"

I sighed and sat back, putting my arms behind me to rest my weight on my palms. "Yes, I do." Both girls perked up, their eyes tracking towards me even if they didn't turn and look directly at me. "I just don't want to upset the other two that don't get to date me." Yakumo's hazel briefly met Satsuki's dark brown before they glanced away from each other.

"Think of it this way," I stated carefully instead of commenting on the undercurrent of tension between the two girls. "Is having a relationship with me more important than your friendship with each other?"

Satsuki looked irritated at the question, pausing for self-reflection.

"I, ah..." Yakumo winced as we both instinctually looked at her when she spoke, fussing with a stray lock of her hair. "I can't speak for Satsuki or Tenten, but... I like having friends more than I want a boyfriend."

The Uchiha heiress huffed in dissatisfaction. "Well, it's not like either of us need to worry about it until we graduate."

I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment, when I opened them and had properly considered my words, I replied to her. "The reason why I don't date my students is because a relationship mixed in with teaching makes them more likely to focus on the relationship instead of what I'm trying to teach them."

Satsuki scowled, still looking ill-tempered at being denied what she'd been slowly edging her way towards springing on me for the last several months. "We're all already better than the rest of the academy class, you know? They can barely keep up when we get serious about things."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "And I've told you before, it's not worth anything to compare yourself to someone else, Satsuki. The only person you should be better than is who you were yesterday and the only person you should be striving to beat is the-"

"-you from tomorrow," Satsuki quoted, rolling her eyes with a tch of sharp air between her teeth. "Yeah, yeah, I get it."

She's being rather... ah, I see.

"Yakumo," I stated, turning back to the brown-haired girl, "Satsuki's in a snit right now because she thinks me telling her that I'm not going to date her until next year means I can't pay her any personal attention." The girl in question went tomato-red and her mouth slacked open as the Kurama heiress bit her lip so as to not laugh aloud. "If you wouldn't mind terribly, I need to take a break to beat her like a drum to show her I still appreciate that she needs extra lessons."

The ensuing fight ended with me needing to reset three broken bones, heal at least five swaths of burns, and write off most of my clothes as completely destroyed, but...

Well, it also served as an enormously informative test of all the extra gear I was now carrying.

Oh, and I left Satsuki blushing on her back with a sword to her throat when all was said and done, but I'd known the girl had issues for over a year now so that wasn't any type of surprise.

When I came back inside, limping and using my sheathed blade as a makeshift walking stick, Yakumo was sitting in quiet amusement as she finished up the preliminary treatment on the latest canvas. "I'm not sure if I should be happy Satsuki will be less of a brat now or if I should be upset that the boy I like just went outside and beat up a girl."

I rolled my eyes as I got back to work. "If you're angry about that, Satsuki deserves at least part of whatever I get for her beating up on a civilian."

Yakumo snorted daintily, covering her nose and mouth with a hand as she did so. "You're horrible sometimes, you know that Kotaro?"

I huffed a laugh. "Yeah, I'm horrible. Just the worst."

"I'm... still thinking about it, whether or not I want to share with anyone." I nodded at Yakumo's words. She'd always been the most introspective of the three, the one most likely to actually talk a problem out with me instead of deciding to keep it to herself and force me to drag the issue out or confront it physically. "I suppose I'd be the mistress, then, if we follow things to their logical conclusion."

Sighing, I nodded. "Regardless of what happens, Satsuki doesn't enjoy being told she can't have something."

Yakumo hummed and I felt a surge of chakra that also wasn't there, half-faded from reality. "I don't like being told that either, actually."

Carefully, I turned towards the girl with a raised eyebrow, watching through metaphysical senses as energy boiled around her. "Hmm... you're right. I suppose I shouldn't discount a girl who's worked as hard as you have to become a proper shinobi."

I didn't exhibit any outward signs of relief as the energy ebbed back.

Yakumo blushed. "I just... don't want to settle for second place."

The flipside of Yakumo being the more reasonable of the three girls was that she was less likely to outwardly display a sign that there was a building problem. "This has been bothering you for a while now, hasn't it?"

She grimaced and looked away. "Tenten and Satsuki... they don't have someone paying you to spend time with them. I just wonder, sometimes..."

I put my tools down and, despite the aches in my muscles and bones and my depleted chakra, willed my body to move. Putting my arms around her and pulling her close, I replied to the unasked question. "If I didn't think you were worth knowing as a person, having your dreams fulfilled, there's no amount of money in the Elemental Nations that could make me spend time with you or teach you a single damned thing."

The tension I'd felt in her shoulders loosened as she heaved a deep sigh and placed her head against my chest. The remainder of the dark chakra I'd felt forming began to dissipate.

"So... I guess I'll have to figure out a way to marry both you and Satsuki, then." I stated, ghosting a hand through her hair even if I left particles of dirt and soot in its wake. "Tenten, too, of course. Can't leave any of my girls out if that's what they want."

"Don't make promises you can't back up," Yakumo advised as she clung to me.

…

"...and you don't need resources?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, rubbing at his chin contemplatively.

"Beyond what's on that list, no," I replied with a shake of my head as I indicated the short piece of paper I'd handed over earlier.

Itachi and Obito each peered over the list as the Hokage obligingly passed it around.

"I'm not familiar with, uh... wolframite?" Obito stated, frowning as he waved the parchment.

"It's a key ingredient in chakra blades," I explained, then paused. "Good ones, at least. I've had to purify the ore I've found that comes into the market. It's relatively expensive both for its rarity and because of the time and effort I have to put into it, but chakra blades made without it tend to warp, deform, or shatter after a few years of heavy use. Even just a one-tenth mix in an alloyed blade will extend the lifespan of a weapon by a decade. The ideal mix is between five and six tenths to several other metals. If you want me to make something beyond a standard blade, though, I'll need-"

I paused in my rant as the Hokage raised a weathered hand.

Giving him a moment to puff on his pipe, I once again appreciate the minor utility of being able to simply turn off one's sense of smell and taste. Especially in an enclosed space like this secret vault-room beneath the tower, I very much appreciated not choking on what I personally found to be a repugnant odor.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot. We were actually hoping to commission something other than swords, young man," Sarutobi stated bluntly.

I blinked, cocking my head as I studied the three people arrayed at the table before me.

Well, if that doesn't just give up the game...

"What do you want?" I asked bluntly, leaning back in my seat.

"Your willingness to operate with the young Kurama heiress has been greatly appreciated in getting the gate project off the ground," Sarutobi stated with a nod. "Given the potential logistical applications, our first priority is to ensure their production and emplacement continues as quickly as it can."

I nodded slowly. "Beyond simply being useful... this is about the attempt Iwa made on me, isn't it?"

Hiruzen sighed out a plume of smoke as he motioned towards Itachi. The Uchiha nodded once. "We have reason to believe that Iwa and Kumo are moving to a more provocative stance. Together."

Well, fuck.

Flicking a glance between them, I frowned thoughtfully. "I thought Konoha was still in a majority of three with Suna and Kiri being nominal allies."

Hiruzen grimaced. "The key word there is nominal, young man. As of late, Hidden Sand is giving way to internal factions. In particular, Sasori of the Red Sand has proven an attractive rallying figure against Rasa, the current Kazekage's, more cautious and measured approach to our world's politics."

Nice to know I wasn't just using an outdated Bingo Book to make my game, then...

Obito shrugged. "Hidden Mist, on the other hand, is only ever interestedso muchin having allies at all. They only weigh in to keep the mainland balanced or if someone looks like they're poaching missions from the islands." The other Uchiha fidgeted, absently rolling a hand in a vague gesture. "Which is why we were kind of hoping to see if you could come up with an ace in the hole, you know? Something special as a surprise if things do come to a head soon."

...yeah, that pretty much nails it.

"You know there's something different about me, then." I nodded, looking between the three men.

Itachi inclined his head while Obito snorted and opened his mouth, but immediately snapped it shut at the old man's glare. Sometimes all leadership was, was knowing when to stop a subordinate from saying something stupid. Instead, the Hokage blew another plume of smoke and looked at me with a grave expression. "Although there are many names for the kind of bloodline which you appear to show the signs of, we call individuals who host them Dreamers."

I listened silently as the old man dumped a load of information on yet another portion of the secret history of this schizophrenic world on me. He talked about the Land of Sky, the Land of Rain, and other less well-known but suspected cases. When Obito chimed in with the tale of the Land of Whirlpools and their fuuinjutsu expert who'd gone mad, a shiver raced up my spine.

"In short, we would ask that you continue to present yourself in a somewhat atypical fashion," Hiruzen stated, the intent behind the words making sure they were received as an order and not a suggestion. "I can think of no known examples of your kind who display any level of physical prowess, preferring to focus on crafting or more esoteric arts as they usually do."

"Publicly, at least." I nodded, keeping myself grounded by controlling my neurochemistry.

"Publicly, yes." Hiruzen nodded. "To that end, we will be crediting the Kurama with the advances in the gate project as we brief those who need to know."

He paused, obviously waiting for me to say something. "That makes sense, I was going to ask for that. Even without knowing all the details, the fact that I don't have a clan backing me makes me politically vulnerable." The Hokage smirked as Obito and Itachi made small movements at that statement before forcing themselves to remain still. I sighed. "Given that I don't have a clan backing me that I could invoke the protection of without creating issues I don't want to deal with at the moment."

Hiruzen leaned back, smiling. "You would have made an excellent shinobi, young man. If you don't mind me saying so."

"I... probably would have, yeah." I sighed, nodding.

"It's hardly too late, you know," the Hokage tempted, raising an eyebrow. "In many ways, it would make covering up your achievements easier."

I hesitated a moment, thinking, but shook my head. "Thank you for the generous offer, Lord Hokage, but I'm afraid I must decline."

Hiruzen affected a bit of disappointment, but nodded as he puffed on his pipe. "I see." Pulling out a scroll from one of his voluminous sleeves, he laid it on the table. "This is something that has been stuck in the design phase for a great while now. We rarely have the spare resources to focus on development and several promising individuals who were working on it were sadly taken from us before they could finish it."

I raised an eyebrow and reached out for the scroll, but Hiruzen pulled it back.

"Before we move into that, though..." Hiruzen gazed at me speculatively. "As you have turned down rank and can't be publicly acknowledged for your efforts... we will of course be supplying any necessary materials and paying you for your trouble, but... is there anything specific you desire?"

I withdrew my hand back to my side of the table, drumming my fingers in quiet consideration.

Old man wants a carrot to go with the un-addressed, but ever-present stick, so... what do I want? What would make things easier? Money... no, not just money. Money is easy. I'm almost to the point where I can print pure gold. Something... social. Political. I need standing, but not the kind of standing that makes me a threat or makes me noteworthy. I need-

Satsuki, Tenten, and Yakumo's faces flashed in my mind.

-a way to get what I want.

All three ninja's eyebrows rose at my request, but Hiruzen nodded slowly, a considering look in his eyes. "That is a... not-insignificant matter, but I will look into possibilities." He slid the scroll across the table. "Do what you can with this and we'll see what the future brings."