WAP 56

The nabe restaurant wasn’t hard to find. The building stretched out into the skyline, comfortably superior to the single level stores around it on the main street. It was made of handsome logs of dark wood as a frame. They created clean lines around the otherwise white exterior walls. 

Aiko parted the noren curtain with a hand to see inside. She could feel the individual stitches of the embroidery on the back of her hand. The beam of sunlight she let in landed on a small counter. A woman was there waiting. “Welcome.” She gestured Aiko inside.

The entryway was paved with slate grey stones. She left her shoes there and stepped up onto the wooden floor. The next room was tatami flooring that flooded the air with the clean scent of fresh straw. Her guide kept gesturing her on until Aiko stepped into a staircase landing.

“The third floor,” the lady said, and bowed in an obvious dismissal.

Aiko went up alone, keeping her senses alert for the signs of an ambush or trap. There were no tripwires or airborne gasses, no sealwork traps underfoot to paralyze or electrocute her. There wasn’t even a genjutsu.

She was a little creeped out by the time she exited the narrow staircase and was greeted by the most obvious Hyuuga to have ever existed. The lady was elegant. She was probably around 40 or 50 years old, and her clothes were as high quality as anything that Aiko had ever stolen from a princess. Her chin was up and her expression was utterly placid as she watched Aiko stand in the entryway. It felt like the first time as a chuunin that Aiko had been in a room of clan heads or advisors. The social sense of the room was that Aiko was not up to par in experience.

‘She might be a helpless but socially powerful diplomat or she might be a better shinobi than me. I really can’t tell.’

“Thank you for coming.” She indicated to a seat with a palm, and then placed her hands back on her lap. “I hope that we can come to understand each other better.”

“I hope that as well.” Aiko sat where she was told to. She normally preferred to flout good manners, but now was the time to lean on the sophistication and elegance of her kunoichi training and years in diplomacy. Mito would have been shocked to see Aiko comport herself in that room, sitting with perfect posture and the most ladylike mien.

Hyuuga eyes were not like Uchiha eyes. An Uchiha was constantly in movement, obviously taking in the scenery and reacting, tabulating a thousand plans to find their merits. But this woman’s eyes were hard rounds of pearl. There were indications of light and shadow in the color, but nothing gave away thought or feeling. You might as well stare into an oyster for human insight and warmth.

She repressed a shiver. 

“I am Hyuuga Karin. I have the honor of representing my clan as the matriarch.” This qualification was given with no change in facial expression. 

It was hard for Aiko not to react to that. That was a name she knew. She tried to freeze in place and not let on that she knew this was the most famous Hyuuga clan head in history.

At least now she knew how to classify the lady.

‘Dangerous. She’s brutal. Isn’t she the seal master who invented the Caged Bird seal? Maybe she just forced it on them before they joined the village. What would impel that?’

“I understand that you have been inconvenienced by my clan. I humbly apologize.” Karin bowed a shocking 90 degrees. Aiko jumped halfway out of her skin and barely managed to wipe the shock off of her face in time to act unaffected. “I would like to offer my sincere wish to correct the course of our relationship.” Karin’s milk white eyes were as remorseful as a rock might be. The contrast between her humble body language and haughty face was hard to accept. 

“Nothing would please me more than harmonious relations,” Aiko said on autopilot, trying desperately to remember what massacre this woman was famous for. “I suppose I have had the honor of meeting some of your clan members.”

Hyuuga Karin looked like a queen. She was wearing silk, Aiko noted. Expensive. “Yes. It seems to be a good time to reassess our priorities.”

‘I wonder how thoroughly they infiltrated the castle staff,’ Aiko wondered, thinking of the conversation she had overheard that morning. ‘I almost feel bad for the head servants trying to manage affairs when all the spies scurry off overnight. Did they kill the actual workers or just get gradually hired on?’

It was a very classic shinobi technique. Aiko had to respect Karin for it, especially since she was unrepentant.

Aiko had to say something, so she hummed. She settled on, “It is wiser to react to changing circumstances.” 

“Oh?” The first hint of emotion from this proud woman was subtle disdain. “It is not better to hold principles?”

Well, if she was going to be a bitch, Aiko had a solemn duty to respond in kind. “I advocated to exterminate the Hyuuga clan to the last child,” she said idly. “When we learnt that you had stood against the Senju-Uchiha alliance.” She watched for anger, scorn, a blow in return. What kind of woman was this?

Hyuuga Karin blinked. Contrary to expectations, she looked… impressed. “We are pleased to be correct,” she said.

Aiko let her brows raise. She smiled slightly. “I have been told that you did not intend to kill me,” she said. She kept her tone mild. 

“By-”

Hyuuga Karin cut herself off, but it was too late to cover the reaction.

Aiko waited, smug.

The clan head took a subtle inhalation before she asked. “I suppose that you have spoken to my clanswoman.”

“Hyuuga Kimiko,” Aiko said blandly.

The muscles around Karin’s eyes went tight. “Yes. I wish to speak of her condition and negotiate her return.”

“What if we have a corpse?” Aiko tilted her head very slightly to the side.

“Then I would like it back, for a proper funeral.” 

Bullshit. All she wanted was proof that they weren’t stealing the girl’s eyes. 

Aiko counter offered, “Would it be sufficient to provide her eyes alone?” She smiled sweetly, for all the world acting as if she was having a nice conversation with a beloved aunt. “Surely it would be sufficient to confirm her identity.”  It was meant to be a jab that the Hyuuga discarded their people, reduced them to body parts.

Hyuuga Karin sniffed. “Do not insult us,” she said imperiously. “Eyes can be removed without causing death. If you must kill her, give us her head or heart.”

Aiko nodded on autopilot because going still was too obvious.

‘What the actual fuck. What does she– why is that her condition? I thought she was concerned with the byakugan. Does she not know that eyes can be transplanted?’

It only took a moment for the shoe to drop.

Oh, fuuuuuck. Blood theft at this point in history meant kidnapping children, or forcing adults to reproduce. That was pretty much gone by Aiko’s point in time– it took too long, and required you to keep someone around in fighting age. Even the children might grow up to consider you an enemy. It was far more efficient to take only the important body part.

Aiko was left scrambling to put together a timeline.

‘When do they learn about eye transplants? That’s the impetus for the caged bird seal. It must be soon, since they enforced the seal before joining the village.’

Aiko was too professional to react unsubtly, but she was stared down by a viper. Hyuuga Karin frowned ever so slightly. She had noticed that Aiko had noticed something.

She cast about for a distraction. “She was alive, the last that I knew,” Aiko admitted. The other woman was too poised to relax outwardly, but Aiko thought she seemed relieved. Aiko regained her footing. “For what should we return her to your custody?”

“For my thanks,” Hyuuga Karin said silkily. 

So, for nothing. Aiko didn’t snort. “We will give this the consideration it merits,” she said, and moved to stand.

“Aa-”

She looked back expectantly. 

The clan head probably wanted her dead. It wasn’t obvious on her face. “I have heard of you and your priesthood.”

Yes, obviously. Aiko waited politely for elaboration.

“You are accumulating worldly riches.” The Hyuuga head raised a slim eyebrow. “Statues of wood and iron, gold leaf and semi precious stones. Horses, as well?” She paused. “Perhaps even samurai armor?”

Aiko blinked slowly to take that in.

‘She’s the first person to confront me for murdering those samurai,’ she realized. Grudgingly impressed, Aiko let the sides of her mouth curl up. 

Izuna simply didn’t care. Madara likely didn’t know. If Hashirama knew, he was avoiding it because it was uncomfortable. It was socially unacceptable to go around murdering samurai. Her reasons didn’t make it any less taboo. Her station as a holy woman made it even worse. You expected impropriety from a shinobi, but not from a representative of the gods.

‘She knows I’m a shinobi.’ 

Aiko met Hyuuga Karin’s gaze steadily. “Would you care for a horse?” she offered casually. “A humble woman such as I has no need for fine animals.”

“…That is kind,” she said, because obviously she wanted them, but she could not say yes. She obviously moved past the offer to make her real point. “The Hyuuga cannot treat honorably with people who are below us in dignity.” She deliberately turned her face to the direction of the castle where the heads of the Senju and Uchiha clans were standing. “We had thought that your role was merely mediation.”

Aiko inclined her head, churning through interpretations. 

She could always be lying. She could be misleading Aiko in order to get what she wanted in the short term.

‘But the Hyuuga clearly were wiling to come to the table under some circumstance, so they do have some benefit in cooperation. I can see why they would disdain the clans that fight like cats and dogs. It was never impressive behavior– Mayumi already told me that no one likes them.’

If Hyuuga Karin thought she had figured out that Aiko was a shinobi, that she represented another power, a power behind the scenes of the new regime–

Hm. She didn’t touch her red hair. She did think of the brand new Clan first lady and her red-headed ladies in waiting. 

‘She’s not even wrong,’ Aiko marveled. ‘I am an Uzumaki princess. Mom was Mito’s grand niece.’

“There are ancient and noble clans of dignity,” Aiko said mildly. And yes– that was it. The Hyuuga looked victorious. Aiko finally stood and gave a very proper bow, respectful. The litmus test was the angle of Hyuuga Karin’s returning bow.

Yes. It was equal.

‘I have a potential secret alliance with the Hyuuga,’ Aiko thought, bemused. “Thank you for your time,” she said. “I will convey your requests to the appropriate people.” She left unsaid who those people might be, whether or not they extended beyond Aiko herself.

Hyuuga Karin smiled beatifically. She once again looked like a harmless older lady, someone with impeccable breeding and manners. “That is all I ask.” 

‘She thinks the Uzumaki are the shadow rulers of this takeover, and she’s willing to work with us.’ 

It was hard not to cackle. It wasn’t even totally wrong! Uzumaki culture infiltrated Konoha to the extent where their sigil would end up on the uniform.

Aiko didn’t feel threatened to have that woman at her back when she turned to leave the room. She descended the stairs, deep in thought. 

She had to tell her partners something. If she felt like being a jackass of course she could go and retrieve Kimiko, and they couldn’t stop her. But it would make her an enemy to the clan alliance– or at least, it would reduce their trust in her.

‘I’ll tell the Senju and the Uchiha different things,’ Aiko planned. ‘The Uchiha won’t care to indulge it for a mercy, but they would accept if I told them I foresee it benefiting us in the future. Hashirama– well, he isn’t a soft touch, but he wants alliances more than anything-”

“Priestess, please excuse me.” The woman at the door got her attention. “I am deeply sorry to trouble you. There is someone else who wishes to speak with you.” She gestured with a palm to a middle-aged man who was seated seiza on the tatami.

“Good morning,” he said, and ducked his head for the minimum of politeness before he barreled on. “Do you intend to pay for the contracts of the workers whom you’ve taken from my company?”

‘What the actual hell is he talking about?’

“...Contracts,” Aiko said slowly, taking the last steps. “I would love to speak with you. Would you elaborate?”