Okita and Ryoku stood at the door separating Shizuku's bedroom from the living room where Osen was looking out the quaint lattice windows. Looking through the room to the window, the pair watched the Konoha sunrise, the endless lines of foot traffic, and shops starting to open up. Shizuku rushed about the bedroom, throwing the luggage together, and from her sharp movements, both Okita and Ryoku knew that they would do well to keep a fair distance from the upset woman.
As Tobirama had requested, Hashirama had intervened to bid Shizuku to return to her compound with one Konoha guard. She was complying, but that did not mean that she was happy about it. With a sigh, Shizuku stood straight, one hand on her lower back, which ached from all the bending. She sighed again and moved before the two observers.
She formed two hand seals, setting her hand on the ground. There was a poof of smoke, and when it cleared there was a small, muscular, bushy furred brown and black dog with a forehead protector standing there. It had furry tufts on its paws, a bushy mane, and gold highlights on its face with a small, sharp muzzle, and a furry tail that looked like a mohawk.
"Shizuku. What can I do for you?" The small dog asked, wagging its tail.
"I need you to take a message to the compound, Aries." She said to her companion, her voice somber, as if she was hoping to inject some of that gravity into the summoning.
"I can do that for you."
"It will be your responsibility to take my place in the Council discussion. I know I can count on you."
"I'm honored..." Aries said, standing at attention, his tail was wagging, and his ears were standing all the way up. One could make a summoning a dignitary, but such a creature's nature was not so easily changed.
"I know I can count on you." Shizuku's voice was calm.
"You sure can." With a slight bow, the summoning turned and vanished in a whirlwind, flashing a bright smile Shizuku's way as he phased out of sight.
Ryoku's eyes followed the dog until it vanished, surprised by how fast it moved, but any levity or sense of calm he felt from that last exchange was washed away a moment later, when Shizuku addressed him in a tone that reminded him that she was not in the best of moods.
"I do not like this idea Hashirama is pulling." She said emphatically.
"Now that we have a guard, we'll be able to take our time. We should have done that from the beginning. It is better to take the offensive at times, to find out the source rather than try to react to the situation." Ryoku could see that her eyes were already beginning to glaze over, so he quieted and let her speak.
"We still have a Konoha guard with us."
"That would be most prudent, yes."
Shizuku gave a little sigh of frustration. "I haven't come all of this way, just to be escorted back."
"Sometimes we have to do what is requested of us." Okita replied-a rather unconvincing statement, coming from him-and he knew as soon as he spoke the words that he probably shouldn't have phrased things quite like that.
"Requested?" Came the calm response. "Okita, you're agreeing with Hashirama."
"The Water damiyo armada has attacked the mainland. Nothing is what it used to be. The landscape is changing."
"That's some reasoning."
"Hokage-sama means well."
"What?"
"He said think of our villages, Shizuku." Ryoku said, voice stern.
"I still don't trust him."
"He is sincere." Osen said calmly, her jaw firm, her eyes strong. "When you say it like that, you make it like he's a round-about shinobi. He used to be our comrade."
"It's impossible to deny that Hashirama has achieved his dream. Konoha is something else."
There was something in the way she said that, Ryoku sensed, some suggestion, some recognition from Shizuku that he was indeed a man that achieved his dream, combined with the smile she flashed him, showed that she had deduced him. He found some snow sitting on the ledge to the side, and using his hand, picked it up, letting it sit in his fingers, needing the distraction. "There will be those who manage not to see it."
"Some have a way of seeing more faults." Shizuku agreed. "That won't stop Hokage-sama."
With a thought, Ryoku crushed the snow in his hands, letting it melt all about.
"Don't get me wrong." Okita remarked. "Hashirama was a great comrade. Wise and powerful..."
Shizuku paused and shook her head, looking for the words. She took a deep breath, then blew it all out of her, her shoulders visibly relaxing. "I know."
Ryoku walked over to her and lifted his hand to grasp her shoulder. "Shizuku."
For the first time since they had been at Konoha, Shizuku truly looked into the brown eyes of the man, locked stares with him so that they each could see beneath the surface. It was a fleeting moment. "I understand what you're trying to say."
"Hashirama isn't the enemy right now." Okita replied, looking into her eyes. "You said it yourself."
"I'm still not sure if I can trust him." She said, turning away.
"Why not?"
"I can see what you're thinking." Shizuku broke the tension with a laugh.
"So, you're psychic now?"
Shizuku looked past Ryoku and Okita for a moment, glimpsing Osen, who was watching with obvious attention and not even trying to hide her interest anymore. And Shizuku understood that attention, given the strange and unexpected road this mission had taken.
She looked squarely at Okita and Ryoku again and said in a tone with no room for debate. "Let's just get back as fast as we can."
Ryoku conceded and looked away.
"Of course." He said, and he stepped back, allowing her to resume her packing.
Shizuku sighed softly, looking out the window towards the Hokage Tower-the massive five story building towered in the distance by the mountain. It was quite the backdrop. Hashirama wasn't a small-minded man by any means. She watched the Konoha foot traffic increase, people of different clans and civilians all laboring in building the village.
Shizuku smiled. "That Hashirama is surprisingly full of wit. He surprised me."
"We'd better meet Tatsuo." Osen said, moving towards the door and opening it.
"Right." Okita said, looking to Shizuku.
Shizuku nodded, finishing her packing, and stood next to Ryoku.
"No time like the present."
"That's the spirit." Ryoku said with a smirk
"Let's get the introductions out of the way, no need to bog this down with formalities." The Fire damiyo said.
"My name is Akio Mitarashi leader of the Mitarashi clan." Akio was rather short standing at five feet and two inches, his hair was brown and long with spikes, kept up in a high ponytail that stopped near the middle of his shoulder blades. He was dressed in semi-casual attire consisting of dark blue hakama, a blue kimono, and black haori.
"My name is Riichi Yamanaka, leader of the Yamanaka clan." His tone was composed. His most noticeable features were his dark blue eyes and blonde hair that reached the middle of his back that was kept in a ponytail. He wore a pair of black hakama, a blue kimono, and a white haori.
"The Sarutobi, Hyuga, and Akimichi are not present once again. It is a shame." Tadashi remarked.
"The Aburame aren't present either." Tadaaki said.
"They will merely be a distraction if we allow them to be one." The Fire damiyo spoke calm and collected, his eyes scanning everyone in the room watching for the slightest bit of discontent or emotion.
He continued on setting the piece of paper onto the table-the layout of the infrastructure that Konoha had at the moment. "It is to my understanding everyone gathered here are more than willing to accept this ceasefire...More importantly those gathered right now are more than willing to accept this ceasefire agreement you must agree to when you join this village. That means the Mitarashi and Yamanaka will stop fighting each other from this point on, no questions asked. Pass this along and read it."
Several silent and tense minutes passed. The only sound that could be heard was breathing and the shuffling of the paper as it went from one person to another. Expressions varied from understanding, content, disgruntled, and acceptance. It was hard to say who had which expression since it changed every few seconds as the thought and prospect of this occurring sunk in fully, however nobody spoke out and silently read with intent.
"Well...I have one concern." Akio started.
"What is your concern?" Tobirama asked.
"We don't wish to be cornered into this." Akio said firmly. "We find nothing wrong with what is in this, in of itself."
Tobirama looked at Akio with a stern gaze, resisting the urge to cross his arms.
"I've come to see if it is agreeable. I don't want to face any backlash should I disagree." Akio said, taking a long look at the Fire damiyo, then turned his gaze onto Hashirama.
"I'm glad there is a mutual agreement to not bring conflict into my Capital. This is a ceasefire, after all. You will here by cease all conflicts with each other. This is concrete and will be for decades after this." The Fire damiyo didn't care if he was stepping on toes.
"What is this?" Riichi asked.
"This is the beginning of the end of the incessant wars." Hashirama replied, staring at the man.
"Hashirama has convinced me that this option is for the best. So keep in mind that I am being mindful of this country's longevity and the longevity of the shinobi in this country. None of you are in a position to start being pugnacious, you should keep that in mind, Riichi...And you as well, Akio."
"I don't believe I've done anything wrong." Riichi said with an incline of his chin.
"You should remember where you are and your place..." The Fire damiyo warned grimly.
"Refrain from being antagonistic as well. This is a meeting based around cooperation and discussion. There's no need to escalate things to the point there's a battle taking place." Tobirama added with a stern glare.
"I will not sit here and-"
"We are not here to stroke your egos." Mito said. "We are here to discuss the ceasefire and you joining Konoha."
"I am in agreement. Your ego is getting ridiculous, Akio." Momomi stated.
"I agree as well. Nobody here is going to stroke your ego or play to your pride." The Fire damiyo said calmly. "If that is the case, I will take the necessary measures so that you don't cause such a spark many others tried not too long ago. Don't forget where you are..."
Akio nodded, just barely. "Forgive me for being so brazen, I am merely wary."
"Please understand this is all for the benefit of everyone involved, and those who will be involved in the future." Hashirama added, making everyone's head turn in his direction.
"That brings me to my next point." Tadaaki turned his gaze on Riichi.
"It is well known that your clan has been in an entente with the Subatsu, it is also known your shinobi have been seen around the Subatsu compound. It was Syrus to contact you in the first place."
Riichi sighed. "They needed our services and paid for them. What is your point?"
"What did they want?"
Riichi looked at everyone gathered, his dark blue eyes scanning them each in turn. "They wanted us to go through the memories of a few children that were attacked."
"And?" Tadashi pressed.
Riichi shook his head, clenching his teeth. "The Sarutobi and Hyuga alliance launched an attack on them...What else is there to say?"
Hashirama's eyes widened, his focus going from everyone to the table. Sasuke and Kurou couldn't have killed...
"How do we know this will not continue if you join Konoha?"
Riichi locked eyes with Tadaaki, ever calm and intelligent, his blue eyes didn't flash with rage nor anger. "My clan is a peaceful clan. We do our best to avoid conflict but that is a struggle on the mainland. It is why we've sequestered ourselves in the deepest forests of the Fire country."
"I don't trust you." Momomi said bluntly.
Riichi merely shrugged. "That is irrelevant in this matter. By technicalities, I am not attached to the Subatsu and they're not attached to the Yamanaka. Our time together ended quite a bit ago."
Akio continued. "The Mitarashi have always enjoyed our tranquility in our forests. Whenever conflict arose, we always quelled it instantly. However, the Sarutobi and Hyuga, Aburame, Akimichi, and the Water damiyo armada moved on our land before we came here. After the recent attacks on the coastline, the whole lot of them backed off for the time being. How long that lasts nobody knows."
"What are you suggesting?" Koichi asked.
"I am merely stating that trust isn't something prominent here. We are shinobi." Akio said.
"It doesn't matter if you have a hard time believing the words Hashirama speaks. The fact we are all gathered should be more than enough for you to understand..." Kiyoshi's calm eyes hardened.
"This was supposed to be a meeting discussing Konoha and our joining of this shinobi village. Once I join Konoha the entente with the Subatsu will end." Riichi said.
"The Nara and Yamanaka are reclusive, so I can understand their reasoning with joining. However, if there is opposition to you, will you just round them up and put them into a village so you can keep tabs on them? Is that your goal, Hashirama?" Akio asked.
Hashirama was at a loss for just a second before he responded. "Konoha is the first defense of the Fire country."
"Let me make this clear. My clan will not be trifled with." Akio said, eyes hard as stone.
"The same goes for me as well. I can see you are man worth your merit, Hashirama. But I won't so easily agree." Riichi finished.
"If we squabble among ourselves, someone will be disgruntled and wish to fight, this will in turn drag more clans into it...We wouldn't make any progress with the village and would be going all the way back to square one. For this reason, we have to add this ceasefire, it is only reasonable and realistic." Mito reasoned.
"I am not concerned about signing the ceasefire. I intend to do that." Riichi cut the younger woman off.
"The fact there is only one leader levels the playing field to just a few candidates. If I am to believe what that layout represents, it will come down to a democratic vote of some sort. You're already the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju." Akio said.
Hashirama nodded proudly. He was proud of Konoha and proud to be the Hokage.
He could hear their wariness.
"In order to avoid any more conflict certain measures have been taken and put into place." Tobirama said bluntly, keeping his voice level and his gaze impassive.
"In order to stop this endless conflict between us shinobi...This must happen. There won't be battles between us. There won't be battles over leadership of this village. That is why a vote from the population of the village. Shinobi and non-shinobi is how we will do things. It makes everything fair and eliminates unilateral decisions, which are the norm at this moment...But if things continue as they have...There won't be a Senju, Hatake, Mitokado, Nara, Yamanaka, or any shinobi clan in the world. There won't be any shinobi left. This is the best thing we can do for the shinobi and the Fire country."
Hashirama firmly believed that. He believed that in his heart.
"I see, you've made your point. No need to get long winded." Akio grunted.
"Well let's proceed on with this, shall we? I'm here for twenty-four hours, and I'd rather not spend all of that time in discussion." Riichi said.
The Konoha gathering settled on nodding.
Hashirama kept himself calm, his heart thundered, and his breathing quickened...
This was it...
The Yamanaka clan and Mitarashi clan were joining Konoha.
The Fire damiyo took a deep breath, eyeing everyone gathered. "Now then. The Mitarashi and the Yamanaka are the newest clans of Konoha."
It was a sleepless night, one filled with trepidation.
Hashirama knew sleep could evade him. Whenever he was up brooding overnight, or during the day, sleep would evade him. None of those thoughts had a chance to set in, so there was another thing keeping him awake. It was simple. The discussion. However, before the discussion ended. Before the clan leaders went to their compounds to rest or inns to rest. Before those clan leaders went out to the bars, brothels, and other establishments bustling with business in the village. Before they could go on their separate ways back to their respective compounds to assemble all of them to come back to Konoha. Before they even had any thoughts of doing anything else-the Mitarashi and Yamanaka had all signed the ceasefire agreement, ending conflicts between them permanently.
For starters the Fire damiyo had been a core part of the ceasefire agreement. There was Konoha involved, and again the Fire damiyo was a core part of it. It had just been a simple ceasefire agreement that would ensure the clans involved wouldn't fight, and with the Fire damiyo overseeing it, things would hopefully shimmer down.
There was also the fact, again, that a shinobi village was being involved, and neither of the clans gathered, including his own-which had been a part of the ceasefire agreement, another positive, had an inkling of what a shinobi village could truly do. There was also the fact two of the men gathered had been Hajime and Koizuki-both too wily and manipulative for their own good, that must have used the experience to be founding members of Kumogakure in the Lightning country. He had helped them work out some kinks, unfortunately, and the series of wars in the next region, ironed out anything else that had been troubling them.
Hajime had manipulated him as did Tunoichi, but he learned from his mistakes. He made sure to include the Senju in this ceasefire. Made sure that the Fire damiyo was a core part of the ceasefire agreement. And, since Konoha was in the balance, it gave the clan leaders and the Fire damiyo a little more incentive to get things done and finally come to a mutual ground where everyone would be comrades.
Well, they wouldn't be happy, but they wouldn't be killing each other anymore, and that's what mattered the most.
It's probably this reason why once they gave their signatures and agreed to the ceasefire that things fell out. He also had to concede with the fact that everyone was wary of Tobirama.
It wasn't a secret that while he was idealistic and was willing to compromise, Tobirama wasn't idealistic and wasn't willing to compromise as much. He had a fierce streak of pride, and on more than occasion did the clan leaders that gathered call it into question. Tobirama believed that iron laws were needed for order, and while this was true, there couldn't be law and order without peace.
Hashirama suspected it was because now they all knew, and agreed, that they'd never fight again. This was the more prominent reason in his opinion. Never again would they have the mentality, blood for blood. It ended the moment that ink brush hit the document. They couldn't avenge the fallen and their precious people, and it left them bitter. It left them enraged. It left them experiencing nothing but sorrow and despair.
Hashirama knew the feelings all too well, but he tried...He tried with every ounce of his might to overcome. For the sake of his dream which had become a reality.
So, the first thing Hashirama did when morning came around, considering he was in a rather good mood, was go to one of the gambling halls that were open twenty-four hours, muddled in his thoughts and surrounded by the noise that the establishment was known for.
Hashirama learned a few things from being allies with the Subatsu, mainly from the time he spent working with Haji. Concise, stoic, and straight to the point were all terms perfectly capable of describing Haji. He wasn't as emotional as his siblings, but that didn't mean the man wasn't prone to violent lashes of anger, or any other emotion.
The thing he learned from working with Haji was that when it came to matters such as this, speaking to everyone as a group would do much good in the grand scheme of things. That's how it ended up. All of the clan leaders had reached an impasse, and in order to avoid any senseless bickering, he had ended the meeting. It was more less the clan leaders, namely the Hokaku, Mitokado, and Utatane clan leaders throwing out accusations at the Mitarashi clan leader, and Yamanaka clan leader for his entente with the Subatsu.
The discussion from there on after was more of a contest. All the clan leaders felt the need and agreed with pouring every last ounce of their effort into the village. True, they'd all be living within the village, and to put that energy into leading their clans, within the village was the best thing they could do. Riichi left before things had gotten too bad and went to the inn he was staying at while he was in the Capital.
He could understand why the Yamanaka entered an entente with the Subatsu, and why the Yamanaka leader had been insistent during the beginning of it all, for Syrus to take his eldest daughter's hand in marriage. The Yamanaka were a peaceful clan neither wanting conflict or strife coming into their territory. The Yamanaka just enjoyed their isolation.
Both things were threatened, constantly. He wasn't innocent either, as many Senju had encroached on their lands. The Yamanaka weren't afraid, or hesitant to run down their foes, but when it came to battles of attrition-they would always win. They had the patience, the time, and while they didn't wish to sacrifice their fellow kin to win such battles, they were all willing to do their duty. The Sarutobi, Hyuga, Aburame, and Akimichi favored such battles, and those clans weren't afraid to stampede their way right into the clutches of fire and conflict.
The Sarutobi, had after all, been major contenders with the Senju, Subatsu, Domou, Uchiha, Aburame, and every other clan that had been in the next region. He had become accustomed to battling Sasuke and Genzo for days on end. Sasuke feared no one, or thing. He brought down those damn cyclops that had been rampaging, those demons, and had even gone head-to-head with the three Bijuu that had been running amuck. The Four Tails. The Five Tails. The Seven Tails.
Riichi, to his knowledge was a reserved, stoic, and somewhat stern man. His use of the Yamanaka's Hiden Jutsu made him feared and renown just the same. It was said he could sort through a person's memories within seconds, erase and plant new memories, and even make entire experiences seem surreal. That wasn't including the fact he could take control of a person's mind-and by extension their body, wreaking havoc on his foes through a conduit.
Of everyone that had gathered, and will gather, he was the most dangerous. He wasn't hot blooded and loud like the Sarutobi or Utatane, wasn't prideful like the Mitokado, wasn't wary like the Hatake, and wasn't distant like the Hokaku. Riichi could both be considered an upright man, in this era. He didn't seek blood for blood, he didn't plant seeds to bring about chaos. He just kept to himself.
It is for this reason he was most dangerous.
If Riichi was pushed, Koichi, Tobirama, and even himself would all be dead men. There's no way he'd ever be able to anticipate Riichi taking control of him and start dismantling all of his memories. They weren't kenjutsu techniques, bukijutsu techniques, nor were they ninjutsu-it was a different caliber of jutsu, developed and perfected by the Yamanaka in order to maintain their peace and solitude.
He was glad for the time he got to work with Haji. If he hadn't, it was almost with certainty that he would have continued on with the discussion while trying to quell growing tempers, and inevitably ending the new alliance before it began. However, Haji proved and showed that communicating with people one on one was an alternative to smooth things over and actually advance them.
Hashirama found himself in one of the gambling halls at the moment, Riichi beside him oddly enough. The older man had actually walked up to him and took a seat, implying he was either waiting for him, or it was a simple coincidence.
"I'll raise by twenty." Riichi said quietly, setting thirty ryo on the table.
"I'll raise by thirty." A man shrugged absentmindedly, setting sixty ryo on the table.
Hashirama pinched his lips between his teeth, concentrating to his utmost.
"I'll raise by twenty." Hashirama said, setting eighty ryo on the table. "And I'll raise forty this next time around.
A man cursed, looking displeased.
"You must be bluffing." Another man said coolly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I could be, but do you want to take that risk? You have about three more turns to go before you're deadlocked." Hashirama said, grinning slightly.
"I'll raise by sixty." Another man said, looking peeved.
"I'll raise by twenty." The man that Hashirama spoke to chimed in.
"Hmmm..." Riichi closed his eyes, contemplating. Hashirama suckered that last one in, and the man who posed that question to Hashirama was also roped in. He'd try over and over and over, three more times, and fail, to win this game. He had no more moves left in him, other than to fold and concede, but the man had no intention of doing that.
"You're all a bit too hot blooded for my taste..." Riichi said, and with one move-he won the game.
"You son of a bitch!" A few of the men cursed.
Hashirama could only blink in surprise.
He hadn't expected to lose this, but considering he was going against a Yamanaka-well that sealed his fate.
"It was easy seeing into your next moves. One of you is too passive aggressive, the other is too abrasive. Your turns revolved around that, neither of you tried to dictate this like Hashirama did. Like I said, you're all too hot blooded. You become careless when you expend that kind of energy." Riichi finished, brows furrowing as he raked the ryo towards himself.
"Do you think I don't know you cheated?" One man asked, shooting up out of his chair and slamming his hand onto Riichi's wrist, stopping the man's movement.
"Hey, Akifumi! Just let it go, you lost."
"Shut up, jiro!"
"I don't like belligerent or hostile people. All of your yelling is giving me a headache..." Riichi said, frowning, eyes hovering towards the hand on his wrist.
"Time for you to leave!" A short, muscular, and tan skinned man strolled up to Akifumi before throwing him off to the side. One table was snapped in two while another was left halfway on the floor as he slid over it.
Jiro and two more men soon joined Akifumi, bodies flying through the air.
"You lost. Now you're making a scene. You know the rules."
Jiro recovered. "You want to cross me?"
"Get out."
Hashirama watched with concern as the security guard, for lack of a better term, shoved jiro out of the gambling halls doors-from four feet away, leaving the man to tumble in the street outside.
"Were you paying attention, Hashirama?" Riichi asked.
"How you planned seven rounds ahead?"
Riichi smiled just barely, sealing the ryo he won into a scroll. He pointed at Akifumi, who was in the middle of being thrown out. "It takes energy to expend so much emotion, we Yamanaka find such things to be wasteful."
His clan was one of the most intelligent and prudent, and even their chakra and life force was massive or overwhelming. Added with their usage of their Hiden Mind jutsu, there wasn't anything or anyone, they couldn't kill or subdue. Many fell to their intelligence and cunning, and more feared them for their Hiden Mind jutsu.
"Wasteful?"
"Yes. Hostility requires lots of energy, it drains one on all aspects and levels. Death brings out the worst in all of us. All of these things can be avoided if everyone simply controlled their emotions and didn't expend the energy lashing out with their emotions. There'd be something close to peace."
Hashirama pinched his lips between his teeth. "Listen, Riichi...I understand why you formed an entente with the Subatsu..."
"Hashirama, don't make something out of nothing." Riichi stared him in the eye, tone stern, and his blue eyes gently glinted.
Hashirama tensed just slightly.
"They paid us for our services. I made the decision I did for the longevity of the Yamanaka clan. The Sarutobi and Hyuga, the Aburame, the Inuzuka, and the Akimichi were continuously pushing onto our territory. But the Sarutobi and Hyuga, and the Aburame became a problem. They've always been a problem. They've gotten worse since those wars ended in what is now the Sand country and Wind country. You seen what Sasuke did back there. Attacked villages with his gigantic fire jutsu." Riichi focused his sharp gaze onto the table, allowing his glare to linger on where the other gamblers had been.
"The Sarutobi and Hyuga..." Hashirama nodded slowly.
At least at this point in time neither could be reasoned with. He'd never forget seeing fireballs the size of mountains, if not larger, flying through the air-smashing into walls and buildings, smashing into his Mokuton jutsu with no problem.
Sasuke was a tier above.
His alliance with the Hyuga was continuously making waves.
"I have no objections to joining Konoha." Riichi inclined his head for a second. "Whether it is in isolation, or in a village, the Yamanaka just wish to live in peace. Conflict and wars. Wars of ideals and jutsu. It's all wasteful."
Hashirama noted how Riichi used the word wasteful, whenever it pertained remotely to conflict. It made sense why Riichi and Syrus formed an entente. It made sense why the Subatsu paid them for their services. The Subatsu wanted to be left alone, and the Yamanaka wanted to be left alone. Syrus wouldn't hesitate to storm an entire army...
It made a lot of sense now.
"I understand where you're coming from." Hashirama said with a small nod. "I hope with Konoha it will be able to put a different system in place."
"Which brings you to the point of Konoha." Riichi said.
Hashirama nodded steadily, eyes resolute. "Right now, there are shinobi villages being founded. Everything was based around blood on blood for so long. The thought of total and complete genocide of anyone's enemies was the only means. You could say that through force, things are disputed, but this turns into conflict..." Hashirama kept his tone steady.
There would always be battles fought, perhaps there'd always be war. Every generation would experience war. But there was something he could do within in his lifetime, in order to vanquish steady war like now. There'd be war. However, it'd be separated by decades. It wouldn't be on the incessant and crippling level it was at now. He could put a system in place that'd negate war-discussion and cooperation would pave the way towards peace.
"The nobles war with each other, just as we shinobi war with each other. The nobles contact us for our services, we sell our services." Riichi remarked.
"Yes." Hashirama nodded. "However, if a shinobi village-if more than seven clans come together...It'll make the nobles reconsider. Like it already has. It will make the shinobi and demon clans reconsider. Just like it has."
"Strength in numbers."
"Regardless of prowess or strength, a clan is only a clan." Hashirama gazed around the room.
The place was getting lively.
"You forget that shinobi lack common sense." Riichi remarked, laughing softly.
"Regardless." Hashirama repeated a bit more sternly.
"I understand your objective." Riichi said, eyes not leaving Hashirama's. "It is the objective, however, that also concerns me."
"What are your concerns?"
Riichi remained stoic as he repeated what he said before. "Shinobi lack common sense."
"I believe they will find the village to be more advantageous than anything, once they adjust to it." Hashirama said seriously. "But that doesn't mean that all clans will wish to join Konoha..."
Riichi just observed Hashirama. He didn't feel the need to shake the younger man from his thoughts, however, when Hashirama was silent for too long, he spoke. "There lies the problem. The demon clans will most certainly not join, and they will likely attack-as they believe they are superior to us. The shinobi clans will feel threatened. As many that will concede, there are many that will not."
"It won't come down to attacking them..."
"Even if the Fire damiyo pressures you to take action?"
"My intention of this village is for peace and cooperation. So we shinobi clans no longer fight blood for blood. So we can live together. I can't entertain the idea of genocide or attacking a clan to the point of near extinction. What kind of message am I sending lowering myself to do such things? People will call me a hypocrite and a warmonger."
"You've thought this through for a long time now, Hashirama Senju." Riichi knocked back his cup of sake, focusing on the burn pitted in his stomach.
"Something has to give eventually. If this goes on for any longer there won't be any shinobi clans or people left in the Elemental Nations."
"I won't argue with your points." Riichi said, almost musingly.
"So then..." Hashirama looked at him carefully, heart beating a few paces faster.
Riichi turned his focus onto his sake. The liquid was clear and placid. It was a complete contrast to the shinobi world. Their world was dark, filled with the clouds of smoldering ashes and the scent of blood wafting through the air. Joining Konoha would be a smart move-Syrus did note that the only time conflict will ever happen is if the Subatsu's land is encroached, or if the children are attacked.
To do the second you had to do the first.
It was only the reactions of the other clan leaders he didn't really feel like dealing with. There was also the fact he'd need to discuss this with his Council, and a few could be rigid and quarrelsome. The Sarutobi and Hyuga, the Aburame, and the Akimichi haven't attacked for a long time, but he was certain they would again. He really didn't want to deal with Sasuke, Kurou, Iemasa, and Atsushi.
"I will discuss it with my Council. But, know that even though Konoha has been founded, conflict will never truly end. So long as we abide by the shinobi code, peace and stability in our world is impossible."
"I will put a system in place that stresses cooperation and peace." Hashirama said.
"My point is, Hashirama...The Fire damiyo is part of this. We will still take missions from him. You know there are province and providence lords, lesser lords, damiyo, kings and queens, princes and princesses. They will not give up their nobility. What they consider their birthright to rule over the masses. It will lead to war between us and them. That's not including the shinobi and demon clans, that will not be joining Konoha. The Fire damiyo has made things very clear, in that regard."
Hashirama knew Riichi spoke the truth. The man had no reason to lie. And, even if he were-there were too many facts in that last statement for it to be a lie. The nobles would war with each other over land and birthright-the shinobi villages would spearhead into the war, and in turn it'd bring hell fire down on the shinobi villages. There was no way this could end the least bit amicably.
He didn't like to manipulate people or events, but if it came down to such a war...If it came down to shinobi villages going after shinobi and mercenary clans-nobles going after other nobles and shinobi villages...He'd do everything within his power to ensure such a war, and events, never came to pass. It'd do no good if everything and everyone was annihilated due to their own selfish natures.
"It is not a stretch to say that more shinobi villages will be founded. There are two already..."
"Two for now. Hokage and Raikage." Hashirama said, smile wide.
"There are rumblings in the Earth country and Wind country." Riichi clarified.
Hashirama struggled to comprehend what was being said. It was true he was expecting his village system to catch on, but for it to be so widespread was amazing. He didn't hear anything about a third village and even fourth village
The landscape is changing once again.
"I thank you for your honesty, Riichi."
The Yamanaka stood up, ready to leave, a faint smile on his face. "You are a very honest man yourself, Hashirama Senju. It doesn't amount to much speaking to people like Sasuke, Atsushi, and Kurou. They are ill tempered, prideful, and like to lie. I will send word to you. I assume you'll be heading back to deliberate and discuss this with your own advisors?"
"Indeed."
Though Hashirama hadn't battled in weeks, he was growing weary and wary.
But, he'd endure this and more...So long as Konoha grows and flourishes.
"We'll meet again very soon..." Riichi nodded, just barely.
"You're leaving already?"
Riichi smiled slightly. "My twenty-four hours here are up. We've at least signed that ceasefire agreement...So Until that time we meet again, try not to be too wasteful with your actions and words."
Hashirama blinked, surprised-Riichi just vanished.
Good thing Riichi and I came to a mutual ground...I'd hate for the Yamanaka to be confrontational...
Though, as Riichi made clear. Confrontations were very wasteful.