Scarlet Justice - ep. 137
"Salve Regina"
We travel a short way to a nearby tea house. One of the Hyuuga goes inside ahead of us, and after a few minutes I see patrons exiting one by one.
"Did we really have to go this far?" I ask Hiashi, frowning.
"The membership can be...overly cautious at times. They want to ensure our privacy, and it would be far more difficult to secure a meeting if I were to object to their requests."
"In a gilded cage of your own, then."
"Hm. I would choose a more careful wording than that, given the freedoms and responsibility that I have at this moment."
"I see. Far be it from me to make more comments on things I am not aware of," I say sardonically.
"Much appreciated."
We remain silent as the establishment is cleared out. Sana and Sanae are being given wider berths than they were a few minutes ago. It seems that the Hyuuga members are aware on some level of who and what they are dealing with; aside from myself, either one of the twins could obliterate the entirety of that cabal in a single breath, with no means of stopping matters once they were decided. The girls, for their part, have remained neutral and are focused on my comfort.
Finally, we are welcomed inside. A host now sits outside the front entrance, solely to inform potential customers that the establishment is off limits until further notice.
"Will you need our assistance, Princess?" Sana asks me.
"Not for now. I will call for you if anything does come up, but I have no expectations of such at this time. Hiashi is far from a common savage."
"Understood. We will wait patiently, then."
Sana and Sanae are part of my personal registry, like Crim and Aoko before them. Sana's ability is Chaotic Occlusion, which involves varying types of strong barriers. Sanae's ability is called Chaotic Weave, which relates to different types of seals. I have not had to call on them thus far, but those abilities should be very useful in the future, if I end up doing some difficult, specific things...
Hiashi takes a moment to speak into the ear of one of his associates. They exchange looks before he nods, and the other person, seemingly reluctantly, nods back. He then approaches me once more.
"With your permission, I would like to take a few minutes to have an important and private conversation," he says to me.
"Private, you say."
"I have asked that certain measures be paused for a few minutes, to that end. If that agreement is breached, I assume your associates will be able to notify you as soon as possible."
"Very well. Shall we start?" I ask.
"Follow me." I nod to Sana and Sanae before leaving. Hiashi leads me up a flight of stairs and to a small, furnished room. We remove our footwear and sit on our knees across from each other, on top of the soft carpet.
"So. What was it you needed of me? I assume we're not simply talking business at this juncture, which is why you moved us up here, and made sure that there were no prying eyes to boot," I say.
"Though I have no qualms about expressing myself in public...it would greatly upset the clan if I had this conversation out in the open. There are things that simply cannot be done in the public eye, even if they are ultimately meant for good."
"I see. I have to wonder what you could mean by that," I say tersely.
Hiashi closes his eyes and starts to lean forward. Then further. And further than that. My eyes widen as he continues until his head is against the carpet, hands flat on either side of him.
"What...is it that you're doing?" I manage to get out.
"This has been something that I meant to do for a long time. Something that has taken far too long, truly. What you have done for me is more than I can repay. Hinata told me of her time in the desert. She told me of how you saved her life, and I realized then and there that I was a failure as a father. I could have treated her better, but I believed so strongly in the clan, in the role that she had to play, that I passed her over and eventually threw her away. I always wanted her to be strong. I knew that she was capable, but her nature...she was always such a kind child, and even though I knew that she would come around eventually, it wasn't fast enough, not for the clan."
"..."
"You have made her into someone magnificent. You were there for her when I wasn't. I could have lost Hinata, even though I loved her so much. I wasn't able to balance my position with the man, the father that I was supposed to be. Ever since I...I lost Hizashi, for the sake of the Leaf...I was lost myself. I truly was lost. I know that I can never make it up to you, Lilith. But if you can find it in your heart, please...forgive me for what I have done. And I hope that you can accept my praise of you, for the gift you have given me. You gave me my precious daughter back. I only pray that I will be able to give you something even a fraction as valuable in the future."
Was...was this what Neji experienced as well? This sort of apology, this deference...I knew that he was not entirely a hard man, but I never could have expected this. Any of it. Everything I thought, all of these emotions...how could I hold on to what remained of that bitterness any longer? I know that I will never forget what happened, but still...now I understand why he wanted to keep this between us. Pouring his heart out to someone who openly despised his clan was one thing, but to praise me so passionately is another.
Perhaps in my heart, I was hoping for this on some level. To not just live my life resenting him for the mistakes he made, and for how he treated Hina. It's always been clear that he cared for her. Now I can...finally let go of it all. And start something new, something that would benefit all of us. It really is strange to have all of this happen so suddenly, but it doesn't feel wrong either.
I never did seek to destroy him. Nor did I want him to come to ruin, as much as my blood would start to heat up in his presence. Within this stubborn heart of mine, I always wanted more. Not that I would ever admit it, not to him or anyone else. I still have yet to open myself up to humanity at large again. It's too soon for something like that. But compassion...that is always fair and timely to dispense.
"It's enough. Hiashi...it's enough. Please, raise your head."
For the first time, I give him a smile. It feels good to do...like I've crossed yet another bridge.
"Perchance I might still be at odds with different elements of your clan from here on. But you have shown me so much...and I am grateful for it. I accept your apology, and thank you for every bit of your praise. As you desire, I will call on you in the future. The wisdom and prestige of Hyuuga will be useful for building an ideal world."
"Thank you."
"And, as an extra indulgence...you may call me Lili in private. Perhaps...mm, I could be a distant daughter of yours, when I am in the mood."
He laughs heartily. "That much is an honour. Thank you again. It's a shame that we won't have many opportunities like this...as it is, at least. I intend to correct a few of my earlier mistakes, which should please you."
"You can't talk about them yet, then."
"I believe it would be much better if Hinata and Hanabi told you themselves, when it does happen."
"Ah. Seems we've already become mischievous," I say with another smile. "Well, I might continue to bully you in public, seeing as you were such a menace in the past. You deserve that much."
He nods. "That much I can accept."
"Much appreciated. But your passionate apology has done away with quite a bit of bad blood. I can control myself better now, so it won't look too suspicious when we become more amicable in the near future. I dare say that I'm beginning to like you, Hiashi Hyuuga."
"An accomplishment, to be sure."
"Indeed. Shall we head back and start on business? We don't want to keep the others waiting too long without their ability to spy on us."
"Yes. It would be a mess if my clansmen were brought to ruin by their own hubris. Those attendants of yours seem nearly as terrifying as you," he says.
"It only makes sense. They were by Ane-ue's side all of that time, after all."
"Lady Ryuuchi was the one who first sought you out, wasn't she?"
"She was. Though it's a story for another time. A very interesting woman, for many reasons."
We carry our footwear out of the room and head downstairs. Immediately, I can feel the subtle pulses of chakra coming from the Hyuuga, who are intent on monitoring us and listening in on our discussion now that the moratorium has been lifted. Sana and Sanae sit at a distant table, sipping on tea and chatting away as if nothing is happening. Far as they're concerned, the humans watching them are akin to small insects. I appreciate their restraint, especially knowing how arrogant this clan can get.
Hiashi and I walk past the common room and settle into another private room, where hot tea is delivered to us promptly. We sit on comfortable cushions at a low table, on our knees across from each other. He takes a sip of his tea from the elaborately painted cup in front of him, and I follow suit.
"Delicious," I say.
"One of a few exquisitely run tea houses within the village," he replies.
"Only the best for Hyuuga, of course."
"Yes." He sets his cup down and pauses. "Before I make my request...I would like to know how our clan daughter is doing. She hasn't been around in some time, which is understandable enough. Our dealings with the Branch House have not always been the most fair."
"To say the least of it," I add.
"Yes."
"Imari has a strong senpai. She's treated not just like a junior, but like a precious younger sister. And her growth has been stunning. Lord Hokage has praised her openly, more than once. He very much appreciates her efforts to help run the village as smoothly as possible."
"I see."
"More than that...she remains proud of the blood that she was born with. Imari is a member of the noble Hyuuga Clan, and says as much without prompt."
"Her mother should be very proud of her. All Hyuuga should be, whether of the Main or Branch houses."
"We can agree on that much. Rest assured, she is doing well."
"Thank you. I will relay this information to her mother, and to the elders of the clan. She should be recognized for her exemplary work, and I will make sure of it. I might ask Lord Hokage directly about her at some point...there were those difficult thoughts on my part, because of her relationship with Hyuuga."
"Hm."
"The proposal. I assume you have an idea of what we want," he says. That decidedly unsubtle shift means he's speaking for his entity now.
"I might, but it's much better to verbalize. Just so that we're all on the same page. What would Hyuuga desire of this woman?" I ask.
"We are of an organization that includes several families within the Leaf. Hyuuga, as agreed on earlier, speaks on their behalf. As such, all agreements would impact each member of this alliance, and once bound Hyuuga would continue to represent them in future negotiations."
"So noted."
"We would like you and your organization to take on a number of children in the future. This arrangement should allow them to have a proper experience, in safety and comfort, which would subsequently allow them to become productive members of society once they become of age."
"You mean to use my home as a dustbin for the elite."
"A harsh assessment on your end."
"Hardly," I say before taking a sip of my tea. "What do we gain from this arrangement?"
"We offer continued material support for your endeavours, as well as personnel. Women, as you might have guessed, though they are by no means the only ones you may select from. I can only assume that you have certain manual tasks that will need to be performed, and as such..."
"Antiquated thinking. You can be forgiven for that, however, given your position."
"Hm." He nods in response.
"Women are more than fine. If there are any men that we desire for material purposes, we will interview and select them at the first opportunity."
"Understood."
I think for a moment on what to say next. Hiashi is saying something himself, but I wonder if...well, no harm in trying. He isn't one to dole out privileged information, and wouldn't be after our bond was solidified earlier.
"You are aware of my interests, yes?"
"To what end?"
"The little rumours here and there. You know how Madam Inuzuka gets."
"Between that and the Nakamura child, I suppose it makes a bit of sense. The upper echelons of the clan are far more conservative in nature, but I am not burdened by such matters. I expect that there is a notable amount of our membership that deviates from social and political norms, in private of course. This is natural and should not be used to cause a person harm in any way." He makes a contemplative sound. "You would be willing to take up that concern as well?"
"It's far from a burden. You will make a short list and we will have them on-boarded at the first opportunity. I'm surprised Nami pressed you on the matter so soon."
"Hmph." Hiashi gives me a look. "She didn't say much, but she didn't have to. You should understand how that woman is."
I smile, amused. "But of course."
"You will be able to provide protections for those people in ways that our families cannot. Though we are a clan of great strength, we are not without our limitations. And so I have decided to make contact with those most suited to make provisions."
"I see."
"As far as the other children in need of care, are you open to taking them in as soon as possible?"
"The children most in need of care will be taken care of first, yes. I can agree to that verbally with you. But you understand my position," I say firmly.
"Hyuuga is proud enough to not want to admit to such failures. Surely an increase in the numbers of children being sent to your home would trigger scandal, if it were from us. Still, the environment that you will provide...it will be better than behind our walls, at least for now. I intend to make several changes so that you should not expect to see the numbers of children from the clan increase by any appreciable amount. The other elements...that I cannot be certain of, but Hyuuga will incentivize their cooperation."
"Understood. Then I am more than fine with helping Hyuuga out, at least this time."
"Another consideration."
"Please, go ahead."
He takes a sip of tea before continuing. "Additional exchanges, in Hyuuga's direction this time."
"Mm." I nod, pleased. "On condition?"
"No. We do our best to provide for all of our children within Hyuuga, to the best of my knowledge. However, there are always events that occur outside of my scope."
"Yes. If we do come across any children of your clan, no matter how thin their blood, we will make contact with you. And if you do have children that you cannot take care of, for any reason, we will accept them in the same manner."
"Thank you."
"Further and final details can be discussed with Lord Hokage," I say. "Please draft a proposal at earliest convenience and send it for approval. We will see to it that everything is fulfilled in a timely fashion. Was there anything else that you wanted from me?"
"Nothing at this time. We will make contact with you by way of the Hokage's Office, then. Hyuuga accepts your terms, Lady Kobayashi."
"Understood. I look forward to working with you closely to secure the future of our village, Lord Hyuuga."
We respectfully incline our heads towards each other, then finish our tea. Hiashi makes a movement with his hand and in the next few seconds, a Hyuuga woman enters the room, wearing a flowing white robe. She has a slender build and a soft, slightly pale face with dark lipstick. She immediately gets to her knees and bows her head.
"We should be done for now, Mayumi. If you would raise your head, please."
"Of course, my lord." She brushes back a few strands of her silky black hair. "Lady Kobayashi, good afternoon."
"A pleasant afternoon to you," I say to acknowledge her.
"Please remove our items and inform our clan formally of the meeting's end. We have come to an agreement on the terms."
"Yes, my lord. If you both would excuse me." She takes the serving tray and neatly places everything on it, then rises to her feet. Bowing her head once more, she leaves us and goes off to her tasks. I can sense the Hyuuga turning off their Byakugan as she delivers the news. Sana and Sanae haven't moved at all. Normal enough.
"Bothersome ones, aren't they," I say.
"I've said as much to myself. Relaxation time is at a premium."
"Mm. Have you been to River Country lately? I hear they've built more than a few interesting experiences in that region."
"Have you been yourself?"
"Not yet, unfortunately. Too much work to take care of, you know how it is."
"Unfortunately. Though it's more of a shame as far as you're concerned."
"Hmph. I might consider being able to enjoy adulthood so early a treat, you know."
"You are an intriguing young woman, for many reasons. As I'm sure you've heard."
"A line that will be echoed through history. Miracles are made of the most unusual things," I say as we stand up together. "Vacations can wait. I can settle for tea with you in the meantime."
"Understood. There is a desert region, far to the west of this continent. Boldly flavoured teas that I've imported recently. Well worth the cost, even if they were higher in price."
"Ah. I have heard of them..."
"We will be having a sampling in the next month or so. Invitations will be sent by mail. That gentleman with the spiked hair and crow...he has an interest in such things as well."
"Koichi Nagano?"
"Yes. Though he prefers another name, which I have long forgotten..."
"I'm sure he will remind you in time. He always does. Spirited fellow, though eccentric."
Hiashi chuckles lightly. "Believe me, I am used to that much. I have had many a mission with the Leaf's resident taijutsu expert."
That's right. I almost forgot about Might Guy...hm. Though it would be nice to pick up some things from him one of these days. If I can deal with Phantom the Dark and all of his exuberance, the comparatively more serious Guy should be child's play.
"Shall we go, Lady Kobayashi?"
"Yes."
The two of us lead the way out of the tea house, with our respective entourages following.
"Thank you for this opportunity," Hiashi says to me as we stand out front.
"There is no thanks necessary, my lord. All of this is for the sake of the village, and its future. I am more than happy to assist."
"Good afternoon, then."
"Good afternoon." I lower my head and bow deeply towards him. He acknowledges me with a nod as I come back upwards, then signals his group to leave in the direction we came.
"Full of themselves, aren't they. Especially for such lowly humans..."
"Sana, behave," Sanae scolds. "I know that you're bothered, but they're just like children. They're ignorant of the world's truth, so leave them be for now."
"Hmph." Sana frowns. "By chance their family is born with doujutsu...even if it is something they were blessed with because of the Sage's influence, that kind of arrogance isn't warranted."
"I know, my love. But don't push too far into these affairs. You should remember that we exist on a higher level than they do."
"Mm." That seems to pacify Sana.
"Sanae is right, my darling," I say. "There is no need to worry yourself so much with the affairs of mere mortals. Besides, his temperament is much improved in the past while. I dare say that he's nearly tolerable now, hmhm."
"We can call that an accomplishment, I suppose. If it's fine with you, Princess."
"Certainly so. I am blessed to have both of you by my side, and we have accomplished much already. There is still work to be done, but our main tasks are ended for today. I will leave preparation of the official documents to Tamaki and Imari."
"What was discussed...asking such a thing," Sanae says. "Is it really okay?"
"It does seem unsavoury, doesn't it...hm. More than seems, perhaps." We start our walk back to the carriage. "The issue of throwing away unwanted children, especially to avoid responsibility and scandal...while Hyuuga and other clans are averse to it, there are elements such as shinobi secrets that make it undesirable for them in the first place. Otherwise, with the addition of things such as that dreadful seal, children can be moved wherever and whenever...but. At least this way with our agreement, those children will have a stable home to grow up in. It does not solve every problem, and as I said to Hiashi, I will see to it that we are not used as a dustbin for the elite of this world."
"And the other parts?" Sana asks.
"More volunteers are always welcome, and permanent work solutions are far from an issue as well. Training and valuable experience...it might mean that more places like this are opened up in the future. And of course, the other angle of being a safe haven for those who don't fit into society. The nature of work is such that people have to out themselves for a chance at making a living. If not that, they have to endure serious mental stress keeping things to themselves. We can have a wonderful, inclusive environment that gives people the right to choose how they live their lives. I suspect that with Hyuuga's influence, they will subtly inform other clans of this resource of ours and send more people this way."
"And if there aren't enough jobs, we'll make some more. No matter the cost, right?" Sanae asks.
"Absolutely," I say proudly. "Though, I do have a wish...that one day, Magnolia House will no longer have a need to exist in this world. But until we can reach that point, we will take in as many souls as we can, providing the best possible care. We can craft fine human beings, and potentially great shinobi if they want to choose that path. It will be the most wonderful thing."
"I have a question, Princess."
"Of course, Sana. Go ahead."
"You seem to be steadily gaining support with this project, even among the upper class. How much do you think this sort of idea would spread across your world?"
"Ah, a fine question. Hmhm...well, it is another audacious thing from the heavenly host to have my journey start here, in the Hidden Leaf Village. This place has certainly been the start of some ambitious things in the past. The entirety of this shinobi world, composed of five great powers and a set of smaller ones, came from a dream that Lord Hashirama Senju had long ago. The origin of this village came from a single dancing leaf...and so, the modern village system today extended from all of that. The recent practice of the Chuunin Exams, instead of being tests confined to each individual village, instead became war games that fostered cooperation between shinobi villages and provided a means of displaying superiority in a mostly predictable, controlled environment. This idea was put forth after the Third Shinobi War by none other than our current Hokage, with the Leaf being the first village to host this effort. And of course, the modern three person system that we currently employ in every village, which is tied to the advent of the combat medic, came from the mind of our own Lady Tsunade, the Founder's granddaughter. She saw a way to limit casualties in a way that hadn't been considered before, and fiercely advocated for it after experiencing the horrors of war. I do say that based on things such as these, the world will be watching us, and will take away any visible successes to put their spins on it. Whether or not they credit me is largely irrelevant...rather than dread having my ideas stolen away, I welcome the day it happens. It will lead to a better world for all of us, if implemented correctly."
"I can see it. Brilliant insight, as expected of our Princess," Sana says with a smile.
"Although, some would say that a world of peace is at odds with your inclinations, so to speak," Sanae points out.
"There's more than one way to get a thrill, you know. If the age of shinobi were to end right now, I wouldn't blink. But as it is, I have work that must be done. This Scarlet Viper will consume until she is no longer needed. That day is within reach for the denizens of this world, I believe. We shall wait for the cosmos to reveal all," I say.
"A wise decision," Sana says as we reach the carriage. "Well, we've arrived. Where shall we go next, Princess?"
"I have a stop that we need to make. One of our benefactors is treating us to a late lunch. Fine dining, as they say...to be specific, very expensive sushi," I say as I step into the carriage behind Sana.
"Oh my. That does sound delightful...I haven't had sushi in a while."
"Yes, it does sound nice," Sanae says as she sits and closes the carriage door. The driver tips his hat before sending us on our way.
"They currently deal with supply chain management, and want to propose an idea or two. I am quite interested to see how that goes. After that, we should wind down for the day. I have a voucher for a certain spa that I've been eager to use..."