Reborn in the Mist

The unnatural quiet had returned. Nature chirped and creaked as birds fluttered out from their nests and rodent squirrels danced through what bushes were allowed. The sunrise was bright, blindingly so. It filled Mizu with envy for the Boss…or perhaps it would if not for the circumstances he’d be waking up to— a village sent to cut itself open, to confess.

Mizu looked back at his otherselves, they too stood and watched atop the rooftop. Kaze was laidback, the wind in his hair as he sighed from the long twelve hours of existence they’d been granted.

Fuin seemed to stare right into the sun, unflinching in whether it hurt his eyes or not. Ken wiped down the Bo-staff obsessively, he stared impassively at the dull reflection of its ebony surface cast. But Mizu didn’t begrudge his…brothers for the distance, it was all as they expected, all as the Boss anticipated and wisely distanced himself from.

At least for a while.

Mizu clapped his hands, drawing the attention of his fellow clones. “Alright, it’s a new day and Boss won’t want to be left in the dark.”

Kaze grunted and stood from his spot on the roof, dusting his butt he and the others marched in. “Who goes first?” he asked with a yawn.

A little mental trick we’d learned about [Shadow Clone] was how to optimize its memory transference. Without doing anything or even anticipating a memory when the chakra of a dispersed clone returns, the caster is far less likely to notice any new information in their mind.

But with a little forethought, preparation and a clear mind, the user can anticipate and receive Clone memories with comprehensive detail…except the quality of the information the user can glean from the data received lessens the more complex the event being communicated.

A clone dispersing to communicate things like defeat, the appearance of an enemy or even just who won in a game of rock paper scissors are simple and easy to verify from the clone’s returning data. However, things become more complex and strenuous the longer the clone has existed as well as the content of what they’ve learned.

Things like learning jutsu handsigns, the movement of chakra, the base concepts and even the details of patrols like the one Mizu and his brothers convene on now, were far more difficult to digest even with the casters' awareness. And so, the Shadow Clone Council was born, an efficient, immediate way to communicate the large quantities of data the Boss would sieve through— if the last thing each clone remembered was what all others accomplished then…

“I’ll go first.” Ken said, clipping the Bo-staff at his back as he stepped forth. “Kisame and Fuguki nearly went at it.”

Eyes collectively went wide. “That would have been…an incident. What did you do?” Mizu asked.

Ken shrugged. “They didn’t want to fight either, at least not Kisame. Fuguki was looking very comfortable with his new Legendary Sword, and it wasn’t just them there. At least a handful of Hoshigaki Chuunin and Jounin, they have three Commanders within their clan ranks and Fuguki knows it. Maybe he and his team would have bought him the chance to reclaim his superiority as the strongest Swordsmen of the Mist but it would be short lived.”

Kaze whistled and rolled his eyes. “There’s also the problem that he might not be able to beat Kisame in the first place. Why was he even challenging them at that point anyway?”

“Accusations of corrupt practices, bias and prejudice…what else.” Ken sighed, rubbing his neck. “Anyway, I stopped them before it came to blows for any, reminded both I could and would put them down if they defied their oaths to me.”

Mizu smirked. “How did Junko feel about being reminded who really controls the Seven?

“She wasn’t there.”

““Huh?”” Mizu, Fuin and Kaze chorussed in confusion.

“Before any of this ignited I watched her settle dealings with the caste clans under Hoshigaki, she’s more progressive than Funato or Hozuki, her caste clan actually thought to ask for changes rather than…kill for it.”

“That’s true…at least, it’s not surprising to think she would be that kind of leader. Benevolent dictator.” Kaze mused.

“Was she benevolent?”

Ken nodded enthusiastically, once again surprising his fellow clones. “She was. Very much, it was unnerving seeing her grant everything her caste clans asked for…well, almost everything.”

“Freedom?” Mizu asked.

Ken sighed and ran fingers through his hair. “Yes. Only one person thought to ask for it while her mood was…whatever it was, but it was too late. At least they got better mission pay.” He shrugged and turned to Kaze beside him. “How about you?”

Kaze took centre stage now, rolled his neck into a massaging hand as he groaned. “Been watching the Funato and Hozuki bite at themselves. Their egos have already cost the village twenty strong shinobi.”

A silence sat after that and Kaze took in our stares before he shrugged off the weight and said. “I didn’t interfere because we said we wouldn’t so much and besides, if they want to be at each other's necks when the caste clans rumble they can be my guest.”

Mizu sighed, not knowing how to respond to the quite relatable decision to just…watch. Let the clans bite and scratch at each other without having him to call on for rescue. To be reminded of just how human and ugly they can be to one another.

“I released the seal on a servant so he could decapitate his Funato master.” Fuin said blankly and without warning. His eyes were hollow, distant as he relived the experience over and over. “He thanked me.”

Mizu gulped at that. “I guess we can all agree that the Funato clan is the centre of strife and the outlet for which most change will happen.”

“Not just them.” Fuin said, his eyes still stuck on a patch of sky beyond Mizu’s head. “The Hozuki and Hoshigaki have their slice, not to mention us too.”

Mizu’s expression twisted, doubtful. “I don’t think there’ll be much to come from us, Uncle Aoto hasn’t had anyone walking up to him with demands, but it looks like he’s making changes anyway. I watched him ask reluctant caste servants their issues all day before this.”

Kaze shook his head, walking off to the edge of the roof. “Maybe but this truly is the last chance for anyone to radicalize change in this village, the last one afforded.” He said, planting his foot on the ledge.

Mizu didn’t disagree. He walked up to the ledge with his brothers and looked over it to where they stood watch now, where the most turmoil was building. The Suikazan compound.

“Lady Suikazan won’t waste it, you heard her speech, you saw her lead the caste clans…even the Poison Mist.” Mizu said, tossing an arm over Kaze’s shoulders. “Their little coalition of clans and what they hope to accomplish is exactly what this so-called arrogance purge is for, the opportunity to be free, to be respected.”

Fuin snorted. “I just hope it doesn’t end up in ruin. Would Lord Funato ever step back from the power this slavery affords him? I don’t think so, not without bloodshed.”

“Not even with an entire island to rule?” Ken joked.

“That island won’t be his to rule for long, Princess Hanako is Baron in name now but she’ll get greedy eventually and when she does the Funato clan won’t have many more assets to invest in except those they’ve oppressed.” Kaze sighed.

Mizu nodded. “That’s true but that won’t be for a while, right now he still has to feel like there’s something for his clan to run back to, it's also our responsibility to ensure that they do. The Boss won’t be encouraging the Princess to extend her powers over the island, not right now.”

All four fellow clones nodded and looked out to their village. Mizu breathed in, “Now let’s disperse, Boss will want to know.” Mizu said, his final thoughts lingering on the Suikazan’s coalition of clans and on Mei as their arm and face.

Maybe things will be okay.