Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom - ep. 84
"Spooling"
[Convergence of Shadows: Prologue]
"Yeah, it took a lot of bribery on our parts, but we've got the old lady locked in to take charge, just in case."
Tamaki stirs around the noodles in her paper cup with a pair of chopsticks before neatly swallowing them in the next moment. Her desk looks like a storm passed through it, though now it's clear of spare papers and folders after weeks of work. The grind will start again soon enough, but the recent crisis is over and done with.
She looks lovely and fresh faced, green eyes clear with purpose and brown hair combed while neatly tied back into a round bun. The ladies of the office have taken to wearing flats with comfortable insoles, while keeping their heels on a rack for important visitors and other work. Today's standard is similar to the usual, green blouses with red scarves and pencil skirts, paired with dark stockings. Naturally, it makes Tamaki a treat for the eyes, as she always is.
"What was her price?"
"A couple crates of expensive drinks from overseas. Those only get ordered if she has to put the hat on. The upfront payment was much easier to take care of, and she'll have those by the end of today."
"Always demands a hard bargain, that woman."
"Better than than her saying no outright. Then we'd have to scramble a bit. We actually don't have that big a candidate pool," Tamaki says. "Jiraiya's the obvious pick, right? But he doesn't want anything to do with the position, not even in an advisory role. After that is Kakashi, who isn't terribly interested either. Tsunade as you just heard now is pretty reluctant, but she'd do the work to preserve her grandfather's legacy. Then you might be able to look at some of the clan heads, who understandably are concerned with their own people and probably don't want the stress of managing a village on top of sorting out their own internal affairs. You've got...let's see...Hiashi, Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi to start. Those would be great picks. Oh, and Shibi Aburame. Asuma could slot in as a candidate on his own, but he thinks he doesn't have enough experience and some people might be inclined to agree."
"Hm. So it seems that aside from...him...I'm the only one with the credentials and the will to take on the job if it should come around. From what I can understand, based on our meeting with the Tsuchikage and his entourage...it's not much different everywhere else. As competent as Gaara is, he was never the first or even second choice for his village. Oonoki is intent on ensuring the throne is prepared for his granddaughter in the future, though he might be a walking skeleton by the time he considers stepping down from his throne. The Mist...they're still recovering from that coup of theirs, but Mei has certainly chosen someone from her circle to succeed her. It's the Cloud that we would worry about the most."
"Word is they have about three or four people ready in their succession chain right now. The current second in command is...yes, his name's Darui. I would say that he's definitely the next Raikage, since for all his power the Fourth Raikage isn't one to let it go to his head too often. Some of the propaganda going around likes to make him out as a muscle head, but it's never been the case."
"Hm. I'll have to keep that in mind."
"Senior Aide Kurogane, ma'am."
A young woman stands at the office entrance and salutes crisply. Her hair is short and frizzy, a dull brown that fans out around her head.
"Lieutenant Tachibana, good morning. How might I help you today?" Tamaki says.
"Ma'am. Oh, Colonel Kobayashi, ma'am. My apologies for not noticing you, ma'am."
"It's quite alright, darling."
"Thank you, ma'am. Senior Aide Kurogane, ma'am, there is a person downstairs from the Hidden Cloud, wishing to speak to Lord Hokage to deliver a document. I told them that all missives were to be directed to you, ma'am."
"Good work. Tell them to come up here when they're ready, and escort them to the door. The Colonel here and I will handle the rest."
"Ma'am. Heading down now." She salutes again before turning and heading out.
"Guess it's time to get to work. I have a feeling I know what this is about." Tamaki finishes her noodles, and I take the cup from her to throw out. "Water's still nice and hot. Mind taking care of that for me, hon?"
"Not a problem." I wash out the cup and toss it along with the chopsticks into the recycling bin. Grabbing two clean glass cups, I pour hot tea into them and sweeten them both slightly, then set them onto a small wooden tray. Tamaki is going over her lashes with a small compact and has already changed into her red pumps. Her clothing looks as immaculate as ever, like she hasn't been pulling ten hour days in a row recently. This must be the secret power of a mature woman.
We stand side by side and wait for Tachibana to come back, which she does. She salutes before stepping out of the way for the visitor. Or rather, visitors.
Each are wearing a variation of the standard Cloud military outfit, white vests usually with one strap over dark clothing and roomy pants, or whatever variation of garment for their lower halves they choose. The obvious leader is a tall woman with shoulder length blonde hair in a bob cut, and the largest pair of breasts I've seen since Tsunade, nestled in a low cut shirt. A thrilling sight, to say the least, seemingly held aloft by the modified white jacket that goes around her waist like a corset. She has a cool, slightly serious look on her face. Her younger companions are probably chuunin at most, and maybe my age as well. The girl with dark skin on the left is trying her best to look tough, with long and spiky dark red hair, and amber eyes that nearly match my own. For some reason, she brings Sakura to mind. It's probably her severe lack of real estate, which looks a sight worse compared to the woman standing next to her. Her dress is longer than her leader's, going down towards her ankles as opposed to above the knees. The lone male in the room standing on our right also has dark skin, trying to hide his nerves as he holds a lollipop at the corner of his mouth. His hair is white, short and spiky. He has a hooded shirt beneath his armour, long and looking to be oversized compared to his frame. There's a sword on his back, same as the other girl's, while the blonde woman carries a tanto on her lower back.
"Welcome, visitors from the Hidden Cloud," I say politely. "I must apologize, we only expected a single visitor and did not prepare enough beverages for all of you. Would you like for me to prepare more for all of you?"
"We welcome your hospitality," the blonde woman says before either of her companions can get a word out, "but I believe my subordinates here should be fine for now. I would gladly take a cup of tea for myself." She's calm and clear, enough to balance the petulance of her juniors as they attempt to size us up. Typical Cloud behaviour, I suppose. Little wonder the ladies find them so hard to deal with.
"Understood." I walk up to her and present the tray. "Please enjoy."
"Thank you." She nods and takes one of the tea cups, then has a sip. "It's very good. Thank you for this."
"You're welcome. Would you all like a seat?"
"We're good standing," the girl says roughly.
"Uh...yeah. What she said," the boy says timidly.
"Thank you, but standing will serve us well for now," the woman says in her steady, mature voice. "We don't intend to take up too much of your time."
"Understood. I will allow my senpai to address you next." I stand aside for Tamaki, to the group's slight surprise.
"Welcome to the Hidden Leaf. I am the Senior Special Aide to Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. My name is Tamaki Kurogane, and I am in charge of handling communications to and from the Hokage's Office on his behalf. Lord Hokage is unfortunately busy with other matters at the moment, so I will gladly handle any messages you have for him."
"Thank you for meeting with us, Special Aide Kurogane. My name is Samui, and I come here on behalf of the Fourth Raikage of the Village Hidden in Clouds. I am the jounin commander in charge, and with me are Karui and Omoi, both chuunin of the village."
"'Sup."
"Y-yo."
"We have an important and urgent message for the Hokage, regarding the Five Kage Summit. It is to be called two weeks from the posted date, in the listed neutral location. Details are within."
"Understood, Madam Samui. We will have this message delivered to Lord Hokage within the hour," Tamaki says. "Thank you for taking the time out to see us in person."
Samui nods and reaches into one of her pouches to take out a sealed letter. Tamaki quickly scans it in a way that most wouldn't notice, and goes over to her desk to make a call.
"Ma'am. Tachibana reporting in."
Omoi stands aside for Tachibana to approach and salute.
"Urgent message for Lord Hokage. Anyone gets in your way, tell them I said to get fucked. Got it? They can take it up with me or the Colonel later."
"Understood, ma'am." She looks to me for confirmation and I nod. Tamaki puts the letter in her hands. "Understood, ma'ams. Delivering message."
She salutes again and heads out.
"Sounds like trouble," Omoi says under his breath. An excitable one, isn't he. Karui simply has a brow raised in response to the exchange. Samui is calmly finishing her tea.
"All done. Was there anything else we needed to go over?" Tamaki asks.
"Nothing, Special Aide Kurogane. Thank you for swiftly accommodating us." Samui bows, allowing me yet another full glimpse of heaven's wonderful works. They're about the size of my head, I think...what I wouldn't give to just-
"Colonel? Perhaps you might want to relieve Madam Samui of her empty vessel?" Tamaki says unsutbly enough. I roll my eyes at her before holding out the tray. Samui puts her cup onto it and nods gratefully.
"Another cup before you leave?" I ask.
"I think I'll decline for now. It might make me want another, and I wouldn't want to impose on you," she says with a small smile.
"More than fair," I say with my own smile. "Thank you for your praise, ma'am."
"The pleasure is mine." Tch, hardly. It's not often I get to eat this good. What a treat.
"You know, it's kind of bad manners to not introduce yourself to guests," Karui says. Now I understand why she reminds me of Sakura. A dumbass who says too much and is always spoiling for a fight.
"My apologies," I say with a slight bit of sincerity. "I was so focused on ensuring the comfort of our guests from far away that I simply forgot. I am a jounin of the Hidden Leaf myself, yes. My name is Lilith Kobayashi," I finish with a smile.
Karui jerks back in shock, while Omoi pales, the lollipop dangling in his slackened mouth. Samui's expression is curious, but as cool as ever. Little wonder she was sent by the Raikage...it seems she can handle anything. Very much like our Erika.
"Hm. I see. I should apologize for my subordinates, they tend to be a bit excitable in the current climate. Very...uncool, shall we say." Samui bows for us again. "It's very nice to finally meet you, Scarlet Viper of Leaf."
"Thank you kindly. It was a pleasure meeting you as well," I say before bowing myself.
"Are you all leaving soon, or did you have a place you planned to stay in?" Tamaki asks. "We have a list of lodgings that are well connected with Lord Hokage, and can offer you a comfortable night on our behalf."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Omoi asks, rubbing his chin in thought. "What if someone mistakes us for being enemy infiltrators, and a misunderstanding arises...then there will be a dispute...it might erupt into civil war...with the Leaf divided, there's no way that the leadership of Cloud would dismiss such an opportunity, especially with Rock so desperate...a multi-polar web of alliances will all trigger at once...leading to world war-"
"Please excuse my junior," Samui says calmly, while grinding her fist into the top of Omoi's head. "He is...quite imaginative, and current circumstances tend to urge him into sharing his unique perspectives on the shinobi world. It causes him to sometimes...lose his cool."
"He might have a point," Karui points out. "It's usually not a good idea to stay in recommended places, especially those recommended by certain people."
"Please excuse my other junior," Samui says calmly, while not-so-gently squeezing Karui's shoulder. "She has a tendency to express herself in ways that are generally...uncool to the touch. Even if she doesn't mean anything by it."
"We don't feel the need to take offence to such things," Tamaki says. "Everyone is under a bit of stress these days. Just...don't make it too much of a habit while you're here. It might cause some misunderstandings with others who aren't as professional as we tend to be."
Tamaki has a way of smiling while perfectly communicating threats. It's a rare skill, and one that I'll need to learn properly for later. I suppose it comes with experience, which she has a lot of compared to me.
"Understood," Samui says, and I can tell that she really does understand. The other ones, not so much. But she'll keep them in line. I wonder why they're even here. It couldn't be just as backup. Some show of force? Maybe, if they were just under the assumption that they would be meeting the Hokage. It could be anything. Probably doesn't matter. They don't seem stupid enough to spy on us. Or at least Samui doesn't. "We can consider locations for rest."
Tamaki goes to one side of her desk and takes out a small card from the holder, which she then hands to Samui.
"That contains the list of locations for you. Just check in, show them the card so they can read it, and everything will be taken care of."
"Thank you. Will we need to notify you of our decision?"
"Not at all," Tamaki says. "It's all at your leisure, Madam Samui."
"Hm. Very cool, to say the least. Then we will be going for now. Special Aide Kurogane, and Colonel Kobayashi. It was a pleasure speaking to you both, and we of the Hidden Cloud thank you for your hospitality. Farewell." She bows for us one more time, and her juniors reluctantly follow suit.
"Please take care," Tamaki says with her own bow. "Safe travels home."
"Farewell for now," I say while bowing. "May your journey home be safe."
Samui nods and turns to head out. Karui glares at us before following, while Omoi gives us another nervous bow before hurrying after Karui. She hits him in the back of the head as they leave the room.
"Well. That was interesting," Tamaki says.
"Indeed." I muse on recent happenings. "Absolutely stacked."
"You know, I can see why Hinata is so done with you these days."
"Bountiful and beautiful. Truly amazing. I wonder if mine will get that big..."
"You aren't listening to a word I'm saying."
"Not at all, no. I'm a bit distracted at the moment."
"Yeah, I can see that." She takes the filled cup of tea on my tray and starts to drink. "You always know how to make a delicious cup of tea, Lili."
"Mm-hm."
"You're also an unrepentant pervert."
"Mm."
"You might be as bad as Jiraiya."
"That almost got me to react. Only the unenlightened would say such a thing and believe it."
"Oh, really? And what would make me unenlightened, you think?"
"You don't know the depths of my thirst, nor the amount of composure I've gained to conceal it from the masses. That savage you mentioned? Hmph. He's nothing compared to me, darling." I lick my lips. "Aside from that...well, I won't say any more right now. But you'd better hope that I don't turn my attention on you in the future, or you're done for."
"You're a real cheeky bitch, you know that?"
"One of my most charming points, as you're aware of by now. Hm. Samui doesn't seem to be much younger than you, so that erases a bit of worry on my part."
She shakes her head. "And what might that mean?"
"It means I still have time to reach the level you two are at."
"I don't want to hear you of all people worrying about nonsense like that. You were well on your way before, and you're surely not slowing down now. You can be intensely annoying, Lili." She finishes her tea and sets the cup on my tray. "Wash those up. Maybe the water will help you cool off some."
"Doubt it."
"So do I, but there's always room for hope." She pats my back and I go into the small kitchen area. "What are you going to do with yourself the rest of the day?"
"Get some more rest and worry about packing. I might buy some new underwear for the upcoming trip to feel sexy. I hope Samui is at the summit so I can flirt with her properly."
"She probably won't be. I bet it'll be Darui and some other guy, probably burly."
"Boring," I say as I wash.
"Yeah. It'll probably be a sausage party for the most part, aside from you and that Kurotsuchi gal, probably. Oh, and Mei Terumi, of course. She's off limits, no matter how much you might want to lick your reflection for real."
"An awful shame."
"Surely." Tamaki has already switched into her flats by the time I get back to her. "I'm gonna track down Imari and see what we can prep before the old man reads that letter and chaos takes over the place again. Thanks for helping out today, you did an amazing job."
"Bet you can't wait to be serving under me in a few years."
"In at least one way, yeah."
"We'll work on expanding that."
She chuckles and pulls me in for a hug. I feel her kiss my forehead a moment later.
"Love you, hon. You take care of yourself for later, okay?"
"Okay. I love you too, Tamaki."
She gives me one last squeeze before patting me on the back. I wave and make my way home.
The Five Kage Summit is taking place in two weeks from today, two days after the message was delivered. The location is indeed a neutral site, within the Iron Country. A special place, which is a set of three mountains together that are called the Three Wolves because of their shape, towering and sharp jaws of ice and stone that rise high above the peaks themselves. The area is said to be very cold year round and covered in thick snow.
Now that the date and location are confirmed, the next phase is to prepare for the Hokage's departure, and the possibility that he might not return. Tamaki and Imari have temporarily taken care of the succession problem with their bribing of Tsunade, which will be enough to keep Danzo at bay until a more permanent solution is found. Our favourite auntie is certainly not a fan of Danzo either, and the promised drink plus that heavy amount of spite will keep him away from the pointed hat. The absolute last thing we want to do is give any say over the next Hokage to that flag in the wind daimyo who drinks his cheap, flavourless teas while on plush cushions in the capital. That reminds me...I should set up a proper date for tea with Ikkyu Madoka soon. He's quietly done very well by us with regards to Magnolia House.
As for me, it's time to hit the shops for the first time in a while. Just a few things today, and maybe some more tomorrow if I'm in the mood.
"I'll be taking these for now," I say to the saleswoman at the front desk. She nods and takes the small pile of delicates from me, checking them for defects before scanning each tag. A few pairs of pretty and well fitting underwear for myself and Hina, and then something extra for Ino as part of our routine. I like this shop especially because they have all of our sizes lined up, and in-house custom services in case there's something extra we want.
"Are all of these for yourself, ma'am?" she asks.
"A few gifts for my girlfriends. I've memorized their sizes, so there's nothing to worry about there."
"That's good, ma'am. I'm sure they'll appreciate your generosity," she says with a smile.
"I'm a very cheerful giver, hmhm. And the sight of them in such fine garments is too good to pass up."
"All done, ma'am. Thank you for shopping with us," she says before handing me the bag with my items.
"Thank you for having me. Take care, now."
I head out from the shop and back into the day, giving out a few greetings as needed to my growing collection of fans along the streets. It's certainly been something to get used to...I wonder about turning this into a new force for good within the village. Something to mention to Nami later. Ah, so many things to do...but at the same time, I feel a bit restless without a few pots on the stove. Is this my way of coping with the anxiety of everything coming up? It very well could be.
To the hotel, up the stairs, and to my suite. I unlock the door as usual and note a familiar, welcome scent alongside Fio's.
"Hina? Is that you?"
"It is, Lili. Welcome home."
"Hey, hon. Welcome back."
I give Fio a kiss as she floats towards me. Hina and I peck each other on the lips before hugging.
"And what brings my lovely sister here to see me this morning? It's great timing, since I did buy something for you earlier."
"Did you. Let me guess, something lewd."
"That all depends, hmhm. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing how you looked in these right now."
"I think I'll be fine keeping my clothes on for now, thank you." I take out the underwear set I bought for her, and she looks it over with a smile. "White, hm. They look fantastic and feel even better. And of course these are the sizes I have for myself, because you wouldn't do anything less than memorize them."
"Naturally. I think you should wear that set on your upcoming trip."
"So you know about that already. It was what I came to talk to you about. Lord Hokage summoned me to his office yesterday, and said that he had selected me to go with you to the Summit."
"I hoped he would make that choice. But...you have concerns, it looks like."
"Yes. Or rather...I'm not completely sure. It's complicated."
"I'll leave you girls to take care of business. Gonna zone out on the exercise bike downstairs," Fio says. She's put on a half shirt and biking shorts, with a towel around her neck. "I know that you don't mind me around, but the air of intimacy is important too, yeah?"
I nod. "It is. We'll be here when you get back, love. Thank you for thinking of us."
Fio kisses us both on the cheeks before leaving the room. I guide Hina to our bed, and we sit side by side, hands linked together.
"When Lord Hokage called me to speak with him, I wondered what it was all about. Then he explained that he wanted me by his side, along with you. I thought that this was the greatest honour I've ever received. To not only stand next to the God of Shinobi in front of the entire world, as one of his representatives, but to share that honour with my precious sister, the woman who saved my life and made me who I am today. I felt my heart soaring..."
She sighs, and I squeeze her hand gently to comfort her.
"And then I crashed right back to earth a moment later. I realized that I would be in a closed space with that person...the man who took my uncle away from me. Who took Neji's father, and my father's twin brother away from them. My father was so crushed in spirit that he lost faith in me, and I...if it weren't for Naruto's kindness, or your love...I would have disappeared as well. To face that person, to look at him for even a moment. What would I feel? How would it affect me? I don't want to run away from any of it, but these feelings are confusing and...consuming."
"It's okay. I'm here for you, Hina."
"You always have been. I know." She looks at me and smiles. "I'm determined to see the true shape of the world. I'm going to take this opportunity, and serve the Leaf with the pride instilled in me. By my family, my loved ones, and my friends. And by you, especially. We made that promise before, to help change the world as the strongest pair of sisters in history. This is just another step towards that."
"It surely is."
She nods and squeezes my hand gently. "Lili...what do you think Lord Hokage meant to do by calling me to this post? More than our synergy and love for each other, there has to be something else to it."
"The old man has things he wants to make up for, and things he wants to see done. He understands our bond, and encourages it. One day, I will be sitting in the same chair as he does now, and more than an advisor at my side, a trusted sister who can look out at the Leaf from her own throne is more valuable than any mineral or amount of money."
"Do you think he carries regret for what happened to Uncle Hizashi? Even now?"
"Yes. Perhaps he didn't give the order, but he left it up to the clan, knowing what would have to happen next. He didn't expect things to cascade as they did...he could only have faith that everything would be alright. To insert himself into a clan's affairs, especially one as powerful and influential as the Hyuuga...might have invited a different sort of catastrophe. The Leaf would dramatically change again, but perhaps not for the better. Would the already incensed Uchiha take drastic measures at an earlier time? Would other clans get upset, wondering if they were next to be essentially couped by the Hokage and Council? What would the unified bloc of Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi think?"
"It might have been the best option. Not just to stave off war from the outside, but crisis on the inside. What a terrible place to be," Hina says sadly. "What a terrible weight...it hurts to think about from every angle. Even as the anger burns inside of me, I...I feel sadness for Lord Hokage."
"I do, too. And hard decisions will need to be made in the future as well. But I intend to put the necessary blood directly onto these hands of mine, in order to take control of this world's future. I'll carry the weight as he did, until there is no need for it. Hina, I did mean to ask you about this the other day."
"The feelings I had towards those of the Cloud?"
"Yes."
"Continuing to bear them ill will is unbecoming, surely. But the things that I've experienced aren't easily forgotten. Hatred for hatred, blood for blood...a cycle that induces terror of all kinds, and must be ended by one person or another. To take the risk, to have one's village make the sacrifice for the sake of the world, it's something that never is properly acknowledged. Something like that could be called a sign of weakness. I'm not afraid of losing control while there. Not any more. I really do need to see the shape of the world, as it is, and as it could be. I have no delusions of being your equal in strength, but in divinity...that is a goal that can be reached with effort."
Hina is incredible. To see the things that she's seen, and to come this far...it's truly amazing. I know that she'll be next to me forever, in body and then in spirit. I don't want just the best for her, I want more than that. She deserves to have everything, and I'll be sure to give it all to her.
"We'll rise into the heavens together, Hina. I promise."
"And Lili Kobayashi keeps her promises, always. I'll follow you, every step of the way. That's what sisters do."
"Without question." We hug each other tightly. "Thank you, Hina."
"Thank you, Lili. I love you, now and forever."
I smile and run my fingers through her long hair. "Have you decided on what you might say to that person, if the opportunity comes?"
"I'll need Lord Hokage's permission, which should be easy enough to get...but I'll decide on the words to use when we get to that point. I trust that I'll know what to say then."
"Well said. Everything should be fine."
"Yes. I feel much lighter now that we've had this talk. Much less nervous, though...not completely calm, I would say. It's still quite exciting to get that call, even if you vouched for me," she says with a smile. "There's nothing special we need to do?"
"Nothing but look our best. That, and making sure we don't fight unless someone else starts it."
"Yes, the worry of international incidents. I trust that Miss Tamaki gave you another set of warnings earlier."
"Did she tell you that?"
"No, but it's the most sensible guess to make. I suppose Lord Hokage was also being pragmatic in selecting me..."
"How so?" I ask.
"Well, with my Byakugan, I can easily scold you in real time without having to face the same direction or give myself away whilst doing so."
"Listen."
"I'm surprised nobody slipped on the floor while you were in Miss Tamaki's office, with how you must have been salivating," she says smugly.
"Can you blame me?"
"Easily."
"Mm."
She kisses me on the cheek. "We'll sleep together on the road, so that you have all the...pillowy softness you like, as Hanabi always says. That should calm you down enough to function properly at the Summit."
I roll my eyes and scoff at her. "You women are beyond wretched."
"And you deserve it, as much as I love you."
"Maybe," I pout. "One day you'll have to make it up to me."
"Alright. And before you ask, no, we are not having a separate honeymoon."
"Hmph."
"I'm going to head out and start preparing for the trip." She pats my shoulder and gets up. "If you're good, I'll send you some pictures of me trying out your presents."
I perk up at that. "Really?"
"Only if you're good."
"Hm. I'll try, then."
She winks at me before heading out. I lie back on my bed as the door closes, and close my eyes to take a nap.
"Damn. You went through all of that already?"
Ibiki drops a stack of files onto the table and I move an old pile out of the way so that it's closer to me. It's about twelve days to the Five Kage Summit, which means we have about a week left before we leave the village for our temporary housing in the Iron. I wonder if Joshua and Yuna will be on duty there. It's likely, given their bonds with General Mifune.
Today I'm at Intelligence once again, doing research on the other villages and the potential members they might send out to Iron Country. Lots of people I can quickly rule out, and some extra scans help clear away more confusion.
"I can see why they're calling you the queen of paperwork."
"They are not calling me that," I say as I leaf through another folder. Nothing, so onto the exit pile it goes.
"It's what I've been hearing around the village."
"Hmph. It's just like people to make up titles for me without permission."
"That's how it goes when you're famous. Anyway, you need another stack?"
"That should be it. I have everything I need already, just being thorough at this point before I take off." Another folder, nothing worth mentioning. I quickly go through the tops of the new pile of folders Ibiki carried in. Nothing, nothing, nothing...something here? Going through these...nothing here, no. I should be okay skipping these. "Tamaki has some recent reports lined up and I can look at those later on. It's slightly troublesome that the other villages are preparing for my arrival, but our second should be a nice surprise to throw them completely off balance, hmhm." I go back to the folders I found useful and file through them, copying quick notes into a notepad with my other hand.
"I'm guessing this isn't for you, not entirely."
"I want to give Hina some notes to study, and a refresher for the old man. Other than the recent trip to Grass, he hasn't been out in a long while and this will help with threat assessment. He's still got a lot to teach me."
"Heh. And she's humble, too."
"She has to be, or she'll end up dead. Wouldn't get as lucky as someone merely crippling her, not with the bounty she's suddenly racked up."
He chuckles. "Rough times."
"Surely." I finish writing my notes and close the relevant folders. "All done. Let's take these back together."
"Got it." We gather up the folders into neat, stable piles before picking them up and taking them to the archive front desk. The receptionist looks surprised, then pleased as she notes the alphabetical order each stack is in. We bow to each other before going our separate ways.
"Narrowed it down to six people from each village. Mist is a little bit fuzzy as always," I say to Ibiki.
"Yeah, bastards are cloaked in fog on a lot of levels. I still think it's spooky that they haven't done anything since your big show out on the sea. No messages, rumours...just complete silence. We obviously know they're kicking around over there, which is what makes everything so suspicious."
"I suppose we'll find out what they're up to at the Summit, unless they're going to skip that as well. I doubt it...the backlash from that insult would be too massive for even them to handle. Even the old man would feel scorned at that point."
"Yeah. Takes a lot to tilt him when it comes to international relations, but that'd be one of the big buttons. Speaking of which, is your girl gonna be okay standing across from the Cloud's big boss?"
"We've gone over it," I say as we reach the lobby. "She'll be more than okay, and I'll be looking out for her in case things escalate somehow. But it should take a lot to get that far."
"Good to know."
"Thank you for your help today, Ibiki. We should be well stocked for the upcoming adventure."
"Hey, glad I can help from back here. You let me know if you need anything else," he says while patting me on the back.
"I'll remember. Take care."
He waves before heading towards the elevators. As for me, I'm a bit hungry. Think I can grab some fried chicken today. That sounds good. I recall a nearby shop and head straight for it as soon as I can see the entrance. The owner recognizes me and offers a free meal, which I accept after noticing the tip jar. I sneak a big donation in while they're dealing with another customer and take my meal outside.
Fried chicken, mixed vegetables, and a big helping of sticky rice. I break apart my chopsticks while sitting on a wooden bench and dig in.
"Damn, that's good. They packed some soy sauce, too..."
I pour the small container over my rice and savour it a bit more. Really hits the spot after work. I need to figure out this recipe too so that I can cook it for myself later. Can't wait for my new home to be finished...living in a hotel is really nice, but there's nothing like the comfort and privacy of your own place. Almost there.
"..."
We just have to make sure things don't fall apart before then. When it comes to this meeting, there's a lot at stake. Many things could happen, well out of our control or ability to manage. Over and over again, the images of chaos and war come to mind as a consequence of failure. Even predicting where the battle lines would be drawn in such a scenario becomes a difficult task. If nothing happens, this much thinking will be called an overreaction or paranoia. But that would be welcome to hear, because it meant that we did what we could in the end, and it was merely time and energy lost, rather than human life.
"If a storm does blow our way, we'll be ready for it. That's the point of all this preparation, after all."
I finish eating and toss my items into the proper bins nearby, then do a few stretches. Alright. Time to finish organizing intel, then I'll make a few calls before shutting down for the day. We have a whole week left, so no need to burn myself out before the big event.
"Oh, right. The hospital."
Almost forgot that I need to take my shots. Catching the flu over in Iron would be pretty embarrassing, wouldn't it...