Chapter 63.- Double-edged
"My, it has certainly been quite some time since we last met, hasn't it?"
Golden bore into azure. Just as it had been back within the Uchiha compound, Kagome felt like she was being seen through. If anything, the girl could swear the Taisho matriarch's gaze had only grown sharper within the last couple of years. Unlike last time, however, the playing field was far more level now; oh, the gap in experience was definitely still there, but it no longer seemed impossible to breach. Even while potentially outnumbered in this room with their escorts and their leader surrounding their small group, this time, she held some cards of her own.
Although looking around at the room, the Higurashi couldn't help but admire the clan's dedication.
White was clearly the topic here, painting over any and everything, leaving Inuyasha-san's vibrant red as the only splash of color on the Taisho's side now that they'd sent away the non-blood-related members of their escort away. The image of a united front, that was what those four clearly presented; her group, on the other hand, probably looked every bit a ragtag team as they were. The clear distinction clearly made to make whoever dared to petition an audience feel like what they were, intruders.
"The circumstances may not be the best, but we are pleased to see you're all in good health, Toga-sama, Kimi-sama," she said, bowing down just a little less than she had three years ago.
"We could say the same." The Taisho's patriarch voice was far warmed than she'd expected. "Although, it looks like there are more guests than we'd expected."
"Those who had no place to go or their paths aligned with ours ended up following along us." Careful wording and even more careful expressions; confident or not, the girl would not take any chances. "Of course, I will be personally responsible for their behavior."
Behind her, she could feel Sasuke tensing up.
He didn't say much about it when she'd initially proposed it, but Kagome could tell just how much he absolutely hated this part of their plan with just a glance. It wasn't her favorite aspect of it either; after all, they didn't have complete control over those two's actions, and taking accountability for them would place her at risk in a place where they would be outnumbered. There was no helping it, though, while her repertoire with jutsus had increased during their stay with Orochimaru, and her proficiency with the healing side of her blood limit, she had definitely stalled when it came to its offensive abilities.
The biggest reason behind her excursion back into her family's old compound had been to look for a scroll that could help, but it seemed like any and all texts detailing the offensive skills of her kekkei genkai were coded. Historical texts that went more than three generations back suffered the same fate. For months, they'd attempted to break it, but it soon became painfully clear that half of the key they needed was missing. There was nothing left within the village and nothing within the Higurashi ruins. The more she thought about it, the more evident it seemed that there was only one clan her ancestors would've trusted enough to leave the other half of the key. And Kagome would bet all she had that had they managed to crack the code, Sasuke would've fought this plan to the last second.
Confident as he felt about his own abilities, the Uchiha would never insist on something that could leave her defenseless. He knew her well enough to know there was no chance in hell she'd ever happily agree to remain in the background and away from future fights. Even when she attempted to stay away from danger, she would still jump in whenever the girl thought necessary.
So here they were, dragging with them two unstable former experiments from Orochimaru's little gallery.
From what they could get out of the snake Sannin, members of Akatsuki tended to travel in pairs, which meant if they wanted someone to distract the Itachi's partner, the two would need someone willing to stay in the fight for as long as they needed. No, even if they managed to get the older Uchiha alone without conflict, the scale of their revenge required more pieces to move around the board.
"Why, now it's perfectly understandable, after all...there is always more risk involved in traveling alone and to places like the ones you passed through..." The silver-haired woman looked at her, amusement dancing in her golden eyes. "Especially considering the implications in your letter."
"We apologize for asking this, but the contents of it are more than just troubling...Kagome-san, just how certain are you about these accusations?" So it would seem the patriarch still held on to some reservations.
"I fear there is little doubt about it."
"We found the documents detailed the failed coup in my family's archives, and we both knew the code." Sasuke's words followed her without missing a beat.
"Coup?!"
"Wait, what?!"
It was quite ironic how the young master of a historic clan had almost the same reaction as a rogue Kiri nin.
Not that Sasuke would appreciate such a thing, of course, he'd been adamant that the other two would remain silent throughout this meeting. The only instructions she'd given them was to keep quiet and not move unless there was an active threat, not even to bow. In fact, out of all four of them, only Kagome had bothered to give the high-ranking shinobis a proper greeting. Guards were not required to bow to others while guarding their charges. Sasuke ignoring the rules of etiquette while intervening in the conversation also made it evident that he wouldn't just stay on the back. Of course, it would still be her who decided how to deal with the politics between them, but they would be forced to acknowledge him from now on.
"The Uchiha clan had been planning to overthrow the Sandaime Hokage and the councils, if not dor the massacre, they would've gone through with it. The archives were thoroughly cleaned up of almost everything while we were stuck in the hospital." Kagome took over the explanation once more. Sasuke would be more involved, but his temper wasn't conducive to speaking about this without getting angry. "I don't have the documentation to support what we believe happened to the Higurashi compound, of course. But the barrier that was supposed to protect them had been broken from the outside."
"And I presume the number of people who knew about your family's continued survival..." Kimi trailed off, waiting for her to be the one to say the words.
"An extremely limited number, all of them, members of the Council."
"So, we have the possible decimation of one of its founder clans..." Taisho Kimi's amused expression was a distinct contrast to everyone else in the room. "And a potential coup from another one of their founders that was conveniently stopped when its own heir killed almost everyone...how incredibly lucky."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on!" At last, Inuyasha lost it. Clearly, he'd gotten the hint. "Are you trying to say that this whole thing was ordered by..."
"The archives were cleaned, and it wasn't by my brother." A glare accompanied Sasuke's words.
"We made transcriptions of all the documents we found hidden on the historical records." With slow, telegraphed movements, the girl took out the sealed scrolls they'd taken with them from the Uchiha compound. "I understand the implications of what we are saying is not something to be taken lightly; if you wish for them, they are yours to peruse. Of course, we brought along the original texts, but I'm afraid those are still coded."
It was Sesshoumaru who approached her, carefully grabbing the sealed scroll before taking it back to his parents. The young man was clearly used to masking his emotions just like his mother did, but the Taisho patriarch and his younger son had varying levels of success. She supposed it wasn't often that one found out that the ruling government of one of the big Five actively destroyed what remained of its founder clans. Good, the less the Taishos were prepared for dealing with the truth behind this all, the less pre-prepared moved they had at their disposal. Pushing down her own anxiety, Kagome let her skin brush against the back of Sasuke's hands. From now on, the tricky part of this whole thing would begin.
"Imagining this were to be true..." Toga's voice was likely fainter than it was meant to be. "What would your goal be?"
"...even with everything we've managed to gather, we still don't have anything but circumstantial evidence."
"And the one who'd have the full answers would be..." the Taisho matriarch prompted her to finish.
"My brother."
"More than anything, we wish to be able to know the truth behind what happened. The reason behind our departure from the village was because we feared for our safety."A bit of a stretch, but not an outright lie. "We've been having to look over our shoulders for so long..." Her hesitation was not entirely fake. "...all we ask for is a safe haven, and perhaps...if possible, then I'd dare to ask for some aid to track Uchiha Itachi down."
"Fear for your safety?" That was an odd thing for the patriarch to focus on.
"After Sandaime-sama's death, the people keeping a watch on us were changed," she replied.
"Even after the arrival of Tsunade-hime?"
"All the way until we left."
Both heads shared a look, a silent conversation probably going on during those quiet seconds. Kagome could almost hear Suigetsu's repressed screams; the talk after this would definitely cause her a headache.
Careful words and delicate tones, no matter how good a liar one was, there was no way to completely eliminate every tell; that had been what Mokoto taught her as a child. She doubted this was the way the former matriarch envisioned the Higurashi making use of her lessons. The woman had been talented enough in the political arena, and she'd take full advantage of all she learned because what the girl was doing right now was playing with generations-old treaties and alliances.
"Safe haven will be provided, just as it was established between the alliance between our families," the Taisho patriarch said, confirming some of Kagome's deductions.
"We will, of course, take our time to study what you've given us," Kimi continued, taking care of the part of the meeting that had clearly been unexpected. "This information is quite alarming, after all...now then, I do believe we need a break to take in what we've learned...unless there is something else we can offer?"
"Well," And there it was again, the older kunoichi was back to being on the attack, baiting the girl with the knowledge she needed. "I fear we've already asked for so much, but...I've been looking for more information about my family; however, Konoha had little to no resources. Is there a chance...?"
"Hmm, I cannot say we have a lot of information in our libraries; that said, we were entrusted with several of their texts. They will all be available for your inspection, naturally." With a relaxed wave of her hand, the woman played with an elegant fan. "Now then, if this is all, I believe there is no point in keeping you all from your well-deserved rest any longer. Inuyasha, darling, do guide them to the guest rooms."
"Huh?" The youngest Taisho blinked once before scoffing. "This way."
It was evident an in-depth discussion would fill the next few hours as soon as they left the room. Intertwining her fingers with Sasuke's, Kagome reminded herself not to let her guard down just yet. This was only a slight obstacle out of their way; until they caught up to Itachi, the girl wasn't sure she'd be able to feel entirely safe anywhere. There was as much to gain as there was to lose in this little gamble of hers.
He was starting to think that maybe, dealing with his parents and choosing not to become a shinobi would've been less of a drag than following along and allowing their footsteps by becoming a ninja.
Perhaps he could've become a store owner; there were enough of his family's common remedies that wouldn't hurt to sell, Shikamaru probably could have an easy life.
It was one thing to know he'd have to deal with Ino's slightly crazed character, since every time Chouji's and their families had a kid in the same generation (or close enough in age)) they would inevitably end up together the Nara had been resigned to his fate. He could deal with the Ino-Shika-Cho configuration well enough, annoying at times, but he could handle it. Being the first to become chuunin out of his generation had also been something Shikamaru accepted without too much fuss. But the mess that Kagome and Sasuke left behind was nothing short of extraordinary, and a part of him couldn't help but wonder if he should've refused the Hokage's summons.
The speed this investigation was going was slow as hell. And yet, every bit of information they gained made it less and less possible that Konoha hadn't been directly involved in the Uchiha massacre. The Nara had no clue how Tsunade-sama intended to deal with the fact that what they possibly had in their hands was not just two heirs gone in a willful chase against their rogue attacker. Instead, they had a couple of veritable geniuses who could very well have every reason to feel vengeful towards the village. While the ANBU may have completely erased everything inside the Uchiha archives, the Godaime had managed to get her hands on some older complaints from the founder clan about apparent discrimination against Uchiha family members. It was painfully obvious that those involved with the decision would need to be removed from their position regardless of what kind of solution they came up with when it came to dealing with his former classmates. Although how that was supposed to go about was also something that hadn't been defined just yet. His head hurt just from thinking about it...and then, he also got stuck with this.
"The delegation will require different accommodations than the students, and..." the blonde Suna kunoichi that had been pushed onto him to show around glared at him. "Are you paying any attention at all?"
Two years and Temari still had the same strong presence she did back when they'd all been genins, and the Sand was about to betray his village.
"Yeah, yeah, different rooms will be prepared." With a tired sigh, the Nara waved it off."
"...right." She was clearly, not be happy with his response. "Here then, this ought to be quicker."
"Huh?"
"The list of requirements, your mind is clearly somewhere else, so just make sure to read it when you're done overthinking whatever is clanking around that head of yours." A crumpled piece of paper was quickly pushed into his hands.
Dark eyes rushed through the written list in his hands before his mind fully caught up to the girl's words.
"Whoa, hold on a minute," hurried motions tried to push it back to the girl. "Are you even allowed to give me this just like that?"
"Not like we're planning another attack or anything stupid like that," Temari scoffed. "Besides, there ought to be some benefits to being the delegate, shouldn't there? That said, there's still some time before I'm scheduled to leave, so why not stop by a tea shop? You know, a show of the host's hospitality and all that."
"You've got to be..." Another tired sigh left him. Pushy was a good word to describe the slightly older girl. "Fine."
Intellectually, he understood the Hokage didn't have an iota of trust in most of the people who surrounded her. And as someone she'd personally promoted, there was less to worry about when dealing with the ambassador of a country that was previously fooled into attacking Konoha... It didn't make it any less of a drag to balance escort duties while keeping up with the research into the Uchiha massacre situation. Looking again at the blonde's grin, he could only sigh. He supposed it would be unfair to judge her for trying to get a break when back home, Temari was probably buried elbow deep in political stuff.
"Hey..." Whatever he was going to say was forgotten as he caught sight of a blond teen waving at them. "If it isn't Naruto!"
"Shikamaru!"
"Didn't know you'd come home." He was not notified about it, and he really should've.
"Yep, just yesterday."
Damn it, the Chuunin exams had to have made the Hokage forget about warning him.
Ah..this could make the whole 'figure out the truth behind the Uchiha massacre' even more annoying now...Sasuke might've beaten him to a pulp, but Shikamaru was sure the prankster would probably forget about it if the truth of it all came to light in anything but the most controlled situation.
"Hehe...so, has any of your idiocy left you?" he asked, trying to appear bored. "And have you changed well?"
"Heh, I'm definitely stronger than I was, and even back then, I was amazing!" Well, the boy was still loud.
"So...not really, huh." Behind him, Temari laughed.
"What's that supposed to mean...?" Naruto trailed off, cerulean eyes landing on the Suna kunoichi. "Ohhh, are you on a date?"
Yeah, the boy may have grown taller, but his head still focused on the weirdest things. Better these sorts of comments than him asking the kind of uncomfortable questions that could lead to an overly loud temper explosion.
"You're joking...why would I go out with such a...!" Huh...that was an unexpectedly animated reaction, should he be offended? "There's a chuunin exam soon. I'm just going back and forth between Suna and Konoha for meetings."
"And it's troublesome, but I've become an examiner, so..." the lazy chuunin shook his head. "I was told to go and escort around the messengers from Suna."
"A chuunin exam...that brings back memories."
Crap...
Minefield, that's what this topic was, a freaking minefield.
The stupid exam was the last thing those three had done as a team, and it was there that Orochimaru showed up and started messing up with everything. If his deductions were correct, though, then the Sannin had been nothing more than a convenient escape route for the pair of clan heirs. A part of him couldn't help but wonder who'd been the one desperate enough to suggest it...thinking on it now, however, it looked that the one who failed the see the risks had been the prodigious snake Sannin instead of the young genins.
"Oh yeah!" Still, better pivot and take the conversation somewhere else. "Naruto, what are you planning?"
"What do you mean?"
"The only one from our class who hasn't become a chuunin," Other than Sasuke and Kagome since they technically never got promoted. "...is you."
"Ehhh?! Then Sakura-chan, Kiba, and the others?!" Well, this definitely distracted him.
"All chuunins," although admittedly, without Oto's subordinates and Gaara, the last couple of exams had been significantly easier. "Plus, Neji from the class above us, Kankuro from Suna and Temari here, are already jounin."
"Huh?!"
Good, the boy's scatterbrained nature was just as easy to steer off from minefields.
"Hey, then Gaara," the prankster leaned forward. "What about Gaara?!"
"Gaara?" Temari repeated with a smile on her lips. "He's the Kazekage, has been for a bit now."
The ringing in his ears was all he needed to know that he should've been expecting this to happen. Now that he thought about it, the blond was always babbling about Hokabge this and Hokage that during their Academy days. Shikamaru should've known this was just asking to get this kind of reply; a glance to his right showed him that Temari was clearly regretting opening her mouth, or at the very least, not bolting when she had the chance. He could definitely sympathize with that little bit of regret.
"How?!"
"The Kazekage is the strongest person in Suna..." the kunoichi rolled her eyes. "Not a lot of contestants there."
"No...no way...aren't we around the same age?" Disbelief colored Naruto's shocked words.
Right...the blond could usually shift moods at a breakneck speed. And now, his shock had taken a sharp turn into completely depressed in less than a few seconds. Seriously, this guy was something else. It was like every single topic he tried to sidetrack the conversation into was a stupid minefield. He should've just kept his mouth shut.
"Well..." Temari looked at him, asking for help.
"Anyway..." Something, anything to cheer his former classmate and get him away... "Have you gone to Ichiraku's yet?"
Naruto liked ramen, right? That was another word the prankster always used, back in the day, that should be able to grab his attention...right?
"Huh...no, not yet." Now he just looked confused.
Not quite what he hoped for, but he'd take this out.
"I think they added a new flavor since you've been gone." Finally, light had returned to the other teen's eyes. "You should probably go check it out; in any case, Temari needed to go see...something, so we can catch up later."
Hastily grabbing the kunoichi's arm, Shikamaru dragged her out of the street.
Trying to cheer Naruto up without stepping into yet another hazardous topic was a bit too difficult for him to be brave enough to dare. Adding Temari into it was guaranteed to make it messier. No, he would just leave the girl at the tea shop and then go right back to his house. Shizune was supposed to drop off some new documents for their investigation in just a few hours.
"Come on, the tea shop you wanted to go is this way." The opposite direction from Ichiraku's.
"Right..." the jounin waved off the prankster before grinning at him. "You're paying, right, since you're the host?"
"Eh? Hold on, I never...!"
His words died on his throat as he watched the blonde's cheery smile and groaned. A short stop to eat some dango and a cup of tea shouldn't take too much time, he supposed. And technically, Shikamaru didn't need to give the information he'd compiled so far and receive the new info...some snack time wouldn't be so bad.
"Is...this the right one?"
Bright chocolate eyes looked at her in expectation, and Kagome couldn't help but laugh lightly. It was more than evident that the little raven-haired girl was not advised to be wary of them. Not with the number of tales and anecdotes she'd been told during the last couple of days. Then again, the young Higurashi was confident the family had been extremely careful not to let the girl know about any bit of important information. If the dark raven hair and chocolate eyes didn't make it evident, then her constant stories recounting how it was that the Taisho heir saved her life back when she was even younger made it obvious.
There was also something to be said about just how gentle the child's nature remained.
Being raised in a competitive environment like this, Kagome would've expected her to change to suit the place, but it would seem like Rin-chan somehow managed to fit without needing t change. Apparently, the little girl was determined to become one of the few stay-in medics. Offering to help her with medical training had been an easy choice to make, considering it served two purposes. It was a fairly simple way to help her gain a bit of the family's trust, yes, but it was also a way for the Higurashi to get a respite. It was quite refreshing to see someone so honest and visibly cheerful. In a way, it reminded her of simpler times...
Pushing down those thoughts, the girl forced herself to focus on the explanation she was giving. Behind her, she could feel Juugo leaning forwards, trying to get a better look. The hour she spent with Rin-chan was one of the few moments of the day Sasuke agreed to move on his own. But of course, the Uchiha was vehemently against leaving her alone, and considering how much of a risk the orange-haired nin was, she ended up with a permanent bodyguard. During the week or so they'd traveled together, Juugo had yet to struggle with his blood lust, but even if her reiki were to fail to bring the older teen back under control, her methods were still less eye-catching than Sasuke's. Kagome wouldn't complain, though the older boy was easy to handle. Soft-spoken and polite, it was easy to get along with him; besides, the older teen held a childlike curiosity that reminded her much of how Naruto had looked at everything with silent questions in his eyes.
In all honesty, it was a good thing that that was as far as their similarities went. Otherwise, the girl wasn't sure she could've kept calm with such a constant reminder of the tattered bonds that remained between them.
"That's right, you should try and memorize the exact shade and scent of anything you carry with you; since trying to read labels can take too much time if you're in a hurry." It was a bit hard to keep down her laughter as she watched both child and teen react with the same emotion. "You know, Juugo, we can always make some time to practice some first aid jutsus."
"A-ah, no, no." Orange hair was sent in disarray as the former experiment shook his head. "I'm not that good at chakra control."
"But precisely because of that, it could be helpful, wouldn't it?" Kagome smiled. "Besides, it's not about mastering medical jutsus; just know some emergency ones, so in case it's needed, you can hold on until I get there."
"Won't that stall us...?"
"Even if it does, it's worth it." Because even without thinking about the pieces at her disposal, she wouldn't want the older teen to die. "There's only so much I can do."
"...say, Kagome-sama..." Rin-chans voice softened, her eyes lowered to the ground. "Kagome-sama, you are strong, aren't you?"
"Hmm? Well, I'm not sure I'd call myself strong, but I can keep up with Sasuke and the others."
With a confused tone, Juugo added. "I'm pretty sure you're stronger than Suigetsu or myself, though."
"So...it really is important to be able to fight..."
Realization dawned on the Higurashi as she looked at the younger girl. So even if the girl refused to embrace the violence of the shinobi world, guilt still followed her.
"Well, it is, and it isn't." At the brunette's baffled look, Kagome did laugh this time. "You see, medical jutsus require a lot of training to be able to master. Most people don't care enough to dedicate so much time because of it, even then, most shinobis are required to have a minimum fighting skill...but that is only applicable if it is necessary for a medic to be in the middle of the battlefield instead of remaining in the back as they should."
"...when is it necessary?"
"Hmm, it's a bit obvious, isn't it?" The Higurashi leaned closer to the younger girl. "When the people you care about are hotheaded, silly boys."
Again, the young matriarch laughed; she wasn't really lying.
"You see, when someone gets so into a fight, they can't really think clearly and often get themselves injured. Strong or not, Sasuke can lose himself in battle and act a bit stupid. Because of that, I need to be able to be there so I can calm him down." Acting a bit childish, Kagome fell down on the short grass of Izayoi-sama's gardens. The beauty of it had not been exaggerated, and after spending so long stuck underground, the girl wanted to spend as much time outside as possible, which was why she'd asked for these sessions to happen in the gardens. "Granted, I haven't talked with Sesshoumaru-sama that much, but from what I've seen, he's not the kind to be impulsive, unlike the boys I take care of."
"Really? I leave, and the first thing to do is to badmouth me?" Sasuke's voice coming from behind the rose bushes made the other two jump.
"Are you saying I'm lying?"
"The middle of a fight is not the time to waste time thinking, princess." Dutifully, Suigetsu walked after the Uchiha.
"And see, that is why they need me out there." Rin-chan giggled at her dramatic sigh. "You shouldn't worry too much about it; if you can dedicate yourself to medical techniques, you'll definitely make a difference."
"Could you teach me some of the jutsus you know, Kagome-sama?" Hope shone in the little girl's eyes.
"I'd love to." Idly, the Higurashi wondered if not warning their ward had been the right thing for the Taisho's to do. As it was, the child was defenseless. "For now, though, I fear we need to check some scrolls out, so I need to go. If you stay here, make sure not to touch the flowers, alright?"
"Yes, Kagome-sama!"
Sending one last to the younger girl, Kagome took Sasuke's offered hand, fingers intertwining as soon as she was standing. Following them, Suigetsu kept grumbling while Juugo shook his head.
"Is this really necessary?"
"She's a sweet kid." And clearly loved by the main family. "Not fit to shinobi life at all, but she has quite the potential when it comes to medical jutsus."
"How long are we gonna stay here?"
"This is a nice place, though; I mean, you didn't complain about the rooms, Suigetsu." Juugo jumped into the conversation.
"There is no point in wandering aimlessly," Kagome added, because she just knew the other teen would not be happy with that answer. "Once we have a lead, we'll go and check them out.
One of the things Toga liked the most about the placement of his study was the sight of the gardens he could get from his window. His princess' eye for flower arrangement flawlessly translated into garden arrangement, and from time to time, he could watch Izayoi caring for it. A nice breath of fresh air whenever he was tied up with work. And it would seem like the young Higurashi matriarch was just as appreciative of the gardens as he was, visiting them at least two times a day for the last three days she and her entourage spent with them. And for the last two days, little Rin would join her too.
Kimi had insisted on inviting their guests to attend their family dinners, and the blue-eyed girl easily charmed both Izayoi and Rin during the first meal. Toga himself found himself lowering his guard at times, as Higurashi Kagome acted as an intermediary between her group and his family. He'd say he understood why his wife had deemed her as someone with potential; after all, even Sesshoumaru became unable to tell the young hopeful child to keep away. Instead, one of his personal retainers had been sent to keep an eye on them from afar. Not that the young matriarch had done anything but give helpful advice, remaining patient and kind even when their ward started with her hundred questions a session. When looking through the window, it almost felt like the teen could truly adapt to a more peaceful lifestyle, just like she'd implied during their meeting. Of course, her companion was definitely not the kind of person who'd passively agree to that, and he had to agree with Kimi; a boring and peaceful life just could not be their actual goal.
At the very least, the Uchiha simply decided to humor the girl for now and would pressure her later.
Which was why he didn't feel too confident about what to do with the new little piece of information he'd just gotten. Reports about black, Akatsuki cloaks seen around Suna had just been delivered, and technically, they had promised to aid the girl in looking for the older Uchiha. Letting them just go on their way, however, felt like allowing them to continue in a spiral, one that could easily spin out of control. In here, maybe they could actually give them some genuine help. With their part of the Higurashi texts, it wouldn't be too hard not to share this part of the information.
"She'd have to be a fool not to have at least a couple of methods to obtain information on her own." His wife's sharp voice forced him out of his musings. "Good luck with gaining her trust after she finds out we hid any info."
"Not if, but when, huh?"
"This will eventually come out, Toga dear, regardless of if you manage to keep them here." The oh-so-important scroll was waved carelessly. "Even if it doesn't, we can't just keep quiet if there's someone else pulling on Konoha's strings."
"I suppose hoping they are mistaken about their theory is pointless, isn't it?" the Taisho head sighed.
"Now, now, darling, we both know you're not this slow on the uptake." Amusement dripped from her every word. The woman's sadistic enjoyment had been there from the beginning. "And we both know what the real question here is."
What to do with the information they had.
For a long time now, the peace the Taisho clan retained with the rest of the elemental nations was tenuous at best. And there was no denying those behind the massacre of both the Higurashi and the Uchiha clans were clearly willing to go through great lengths to get rid of what they considered a threat to their control. It wouldn't be surprising if they tried to attack them sooner or later. And the slightest hint of a connection to Kagome-san could probably be enough to give them the push these people were waiting for. No, even without it, greed was something that rarely stopped out of nowhere.
Regardless of what happened with the Higurashi girl and her group, they would need to deal with Konoha's shadowy puppet masters in one way or another. He had no doubt that Tsunade-hime would go ballistic at the notion of someone undermining her authority; if they handled this correctly, then she could become an ally. Of course, that meant secrecy and silence would be essential, which even as removed from the situation as Toga was, he felt a little uncomfortable with it.
After all, as the head of his clan, had he been placed in the same situation as Fugaku-san, there was no way in hell the esteemed general would remain passive. Not that his first option would be a coup, but he would've never allowed his people to be mistreated; there was a reason why he'd never once felt tempted to merge with any one Hidden Village. Had he been there, he would've probably gotten everyone to pack and leave such an unreliable place. Uchihas were passionate people; it honestly didn't surprise him they attempted to shed so much blood in retaliation...or why their prodigy did the same to protect the village from his own family...and the two children left behind.
No, he wouldn't feel right about letting all of this remain a secret.
A soft knock on the door cut his train of thought.
"Pardon the intrusion," Higurashi Kagome's soft voice followed the knock. Behind her, the Uchiha followed. "We were told you were looking for us."
"Ah, come on in, come on in." Kimi welcomed them both, smiling, as always even as she sent a glare his way.
"Kagome-san, Sasuke-san." This was it, no more time to rethink this decision. "I know it has only been a few days, but I hope you are feeling welcome here." And, he deflected.
"Oh, absolutely, even though this was such an excessive request, we've gotten such a warm response. We couldn't be more grateful."
Besides him, his wife gave a completely unsubtle cough.
Tight, deciding what to do with the information they had was theoretically, all on him, but he'd never once regretted heeding the woman's advice. And while the details on their opinions often differed, she never purposefully tried to undermine him. Kimi could be petty, but never with important things.
"We just received this report from our intelligence agents." Taking the scroll from his wife's lazy grip, Toga offered it to the Higurashi girl.
He could see Sasuke-san tense the moment the words in the scroll registered. Kagome-san's reaction was far more subdued. Give it a couple more years, and he wasn't sure he'd catch it.
"There was no confirmation on who the members that were spotted were, of course, but it is still quite recent and fairly close by." Kimi's explanation was given with the same tension she would have done when commenting about the weather.
"I see..." Taking a short breath, the younger kunoichi regained control over her expressions. "With this in mind, I hope there is no problem with us taking our leave right away; even if neither of them it's him, there is a chance we can get some valuable information."
"Why, we wouldn't dream to try and stop you."
"We can send a team with you to provide support..." Toga began, only to be cut off by the usually silent Uchiha.
"No need."
"Our standing with Konoha right now is extremely precarious; being seen with us could bring negative consequences." The girl smiled politely. "We appreciate the offer, but we should be able to handle it, no matter who is under those cloaks."
Little to no trust in them, then.
That said, it wasn't like he could deny the girl's reasoning, but it still stung just how quick Sasuke-san was to shut down his help.
"Entirely understandable, darling." Kimi sent him a warning glance. "We'll pray for your success."
"We are indebted to you."
With a low bow, the girl hurried to turn, the Uchiha hot on her heels.
"They will come back." His wife leaned towards him, slender fingers taking a lock of his hair. "Now go and look for your little princess, relax, enjoy yourself for a while, darling. Thing s will soon become really entertaining.
A/N: So, some events are still in line to happen, but there are going to be some big differences in how they happen now i.e. the attack on Suna is a good example of what's to come. Kagome and company are still going to be on the road fairly often, but unlike Sasuke in canon who was happy just sleeping on the road she definitely wants to have a bit of a base to be able to return to. Also, Shikamaru is really regretting his life decisions, the guy has too much work and not enough breaks.
Honestly, I feel kinda productive this week, I finally edited the second part of Death's inspiration and started working on a KnY x Inuyasha oneshot that should be finished at some point this coming week or the next. Would anyone be interested on a full length fic? It would either have shorter chapters or longer update schedule since this would definitely remain my focus.
As always, thank you guys so much for reading and any and all review/criticism/comment is very much appreciated.