Reborn in the Mist

“I, Orihime Suikazan, pledge my blood, my life and soul to you, oh Yondaime Mizukage. Before the seas that cradle our village and the mists that guard her walls, I swear to serve as your councillor with unshaken loyalty. As head of the Shingan Clan, the voice of the united caste clans, I will guard their honour, champion their needs, and bind their strength to the will of the village. Your cause shall be our cause, your enemies our quarry, until the waters take me and the tides wash my name away.”

My newest councillor and replacement for Lord Funato looked up at me, her sharp oval face framed by that Suikazan spiky hair. I searched her eyes best as I could for lies, deceit, back stabbing…but I didn’t see anything. I couldn’t and I wouldn’t, at least not for some time.

Orihime wore a stark white cloak, pristine with not a stain on its tender surface. Under the appalling glare of the council room lights, she looked as if a divine and ordained light shone upon her as she knelt before me and my council.

Uncle, Lady Megumi and I sat on high daies as judges upon a fate already won. Mei and in extension, Lady Suikazan and the caste clans had done it. They seized their chance and used it wisely and for the first time, truly left me with no choice.

Sat at the centre dais I stood and raised my arm over like a salute. “I accept your pledge of blood, life and soul. Serve me and this council well.” I said in an almost yell.

It was a little difficult to do anything with the commotion of the festives happening all around, even within the Tower where things are usually tame and bureaucratically boring, the staff had taken it upon themselves to decorate, cook and serve as well as blast music at the loudest volume.

I appreciated it, the village’s ability to switch from knife edge to celebrations just because I deemed it so. Or perhaps it's not the village at all and simply the power I held over them as Mizukage, whatever the case, my first year anniversary was here and it was loud.

“Thank you, Mizukage-sama, I will not disappoint you.” Lady Suikazan said, her smile free and uncontained as her gaze travelled from me to Lady Megumi and ultimately settled on the dais that had now become hers.

I smiled at the obvious urge to claim in and nodded down at her. “Go ahead.”

She grinned but wasted no time going around the back. Within seconds she rose to her place on the fourth dias of the seven in semi-circle. Lady Megumi, courteous as always, reached over for a handshake Lady Suikazan looked surprised by.

“Welcome, we look out for each other here.” Lady Megumi said with a polite but genuine smile as they shook.

“Indeed we do.” Uncle began, his eyes narrowed accusingly at Lady Megumi. “But the village and the Mizukage come first, I hope you understand.”

The Lady Suikazan nodded enthusiastically. “Of course, I just swore my entire being to it.” She looked comfortable up on the dais, right at home and not as out of place as I might have felt she would be.

Truth is, I had my reservations about Orihime Suikazan, about how everything turned out with the caste clans combining their forces to stand under a singular name— the Shingan Clan.

Shingan— to mean ‘True Eye’. Inadvertedly calling themselves enlightened beyond those scattered few clans who remained under the thumbs of the Main clans. A slap to the face perhaps but I couldn’t help but think of the hypocrisy involved.

Shingan wouldn’t exist if Junko didn’t seize the opportunity. My stare lingered on Orihime Suikazan, clan head of around six separate clans come under one umbrella. She knows it too.

Junko was a weasel if I’d ever seen one. Smart, strong, capable and opportunistic to the max. I wasn’t certain what she would demand of the newly formed conglomerate clan but I knew now that within my council were not three clan heads, but four. Junko would surely hear it all.

I sighed and began to leave. “Uncle, a long day ahead, I'll head out now.”

“I’ll come with you.” He said without a beat.

“I shall accompany you as well, Yagura-sama, many delegates to meet.” Lady Megumi said, quickly excusing herself.

“Suikazan…or should I call you Shingan?” I called out once Uncle and I reached where she knelt and took her pledge.

“Uhmm, I think Suikazan is fine.” she stuttered. “There is still much we have to decide.”

“Indeed, it’s barely been a full day.” I shrugged and looked over my shoulder at her. She still sat on her dais, immersed in the power of it surely. “But I need you to ensure everything is in place, with all your clans. The Shingan is one in my eyes and will be treated as one whole, shepherd them well so I do not need to unsheath my wrath.”

She was on her feet before I’d completed my sentence. “Of course, Mizukage-sama, you will not be disappointed!”

I scoffed at that just as Lady Megumi flanked my side. “You all disappoint me, it’s inevitable. Just make sure it’s not fatal.”

***

A long procession of white veiled, hourglass shaped, barefoot women drumming and rattling announced the Princess Hanako’s arrival at my table. In her status as the Daimyo’s envoy and in the wealth of her position as Baron of Yuriesen, she brought with her gifts that troubled the Estate’s stable masters.

Two great grey beasts curled their trunks, trumpeting a louder and sustained snort that rattled everyone from Mizukage to peon.

Elephants… The twitch in my brow seemed to only please Princess Hanako as she sauntered forward from her curtain of lookalikes. Like them she was caught in an all white dress, except she sparkled. Her every footstep was a soft chime, anklets of silver bells peeking from beneath the hem of her gown. The gems at her throat caught the sunlight like knives—meant to dazzle, meant to blind. She did not walk so much as glide, her veiled procession parting to let her through, each woman bowing low as if their spines were made to bend for her.

The elephants stamped again, shifting the air with the scent of foreign lands and dust, their keepers barely keeping them still. Hanako’s smile was a performance—perfect, polite, and edged with the knowledge that every gaze on Bar Beach was on her.

She stopped before me, close enough for me to see the faint shimmer of gold worked into her lashes. “A humble offering,” she said, her voice soft but carrying across the chamber. “From Yureisen to the Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura.” She bowed.

“Oof, now I really feel bad about bringing nothing.” Jiraiya said beside me, a wreath of local flowers and weeds crowned his neck, catching falling bits and pieces of the food he’d been stuffing his face with for the short hour I’d been there.

I ignored him and wore a gracious smile as I opened my arms to Princess Hanako and to all the delegates at my table. “Why thank you, Hanako-hime, this…is so thoughtful of you.”

Her smile only grew as she approached, leaned in to whisper as she embraced me. “Slaughter or tame the beasts, but we should talk about Yureisen.”

I pulled away before she could hush anymore words into my ear. “It’s good to see you, Hanako, take a seat the show’s about to start.” I said, my eyes squinted so tight I didn’t catch the surely dissatisfied look on her face as she found her place at the table.

She seized a place between Junko and Lady Suikazan, not missing an opportunity to cast sideward glances at the stubborn, ambitious old man that was surely centre of what she wished to chew my ear on.

Lord Funato wasn’t the same since the meeting yesterday. He was backed into a corner I’d more or less personally created for him. Looking at him brood with his son sat next to him mirroring the same scrunched up visage, I knew there wasn’t much that brought him to my table save obligation and perhaps respect— if he didn’t hate me more already.

The Funato clan will be trouble…more trouble than they are now. My fingers drummed away in thought as we waited for the performance to start. My gaze went round the table which beyond a handful of delegates from Tea, Hot Waters and Fire Country was majorly seated by my clan heads and councillors.

Though, on the far edge where Junko discussing with Lady Suikazan and now Hanako, Mei sat in a solemn quiet. Her body covered by a slender fitting red dress. Her presence here ordinarily would be an issue to question, but with friends like Junko and Lady Suikazan, it made more sense to have her than not.

Not to mention…she won the day for them all…for us all.

I bit my cheek at the thought of Mei. We hadn’t spoken properly since our— What was that anyway? Was it a fight?

“Definitely a fight. And you lost.” Isobu so helpfully provided.

Whatever. There’ll be a moment between food and dance and I’ll talk to her. I’ll apologize.

“For what?”

Huh? What do you mean for what? For what I did wrong.

“Do you even know what that is? Or do you think disagreeing with her was your only fault?”

Isobu please spare me the riddles tonight. I’ve had a very long….year.

Before Isobu could provide me with a clear, concise response, the performance started. Up on the stage for everyone gathered to see were a clutch of Karatachi women dressed in fine kimono. I quickly noticed how young most of them were with the exception of the lead dancer.

The drum picked with a rhythmic rumble and they jolted from their positions into dance. The lead somehow managing to serenade us as she hopped from the tip of one foot to another, a faint trail of fabric danced in the air behind her.

Her younger back ups energetically swayed and sauntered to the rhythm of the music and I— with the rest of their enraptured audience— began to notice as new voices accompanied her melody. And then, like it was there all along, I heard my name.

“Yagura,” They sang a sad and melodic tune. “Love of my life, star of my night sky. Yagura. Lord of my life and—”

I felt the distinct feel of an ANBU operative appearing behind me, bowed with a message worth my concern. Uncle and Jiraiya caught their appearance instantly as well and found their gazes pinned on me waiting my response.

Pained as I was to leave mid-performance, something told me this wasn’t a message I’d want to postpone hearing. Yet, to much of my council and even Uncle, Jiraiya’s presence was one they buffered through me. I pressed a hand onto Uncle’s shoulder, subtly untrusting him to keep whatever thread of peace there was or at the very least, keep Junko from hounding the Toad Sannin.

“Excuse me for a moment friends.” I said before backing out from the table. The noise of the village’s festivities in my honour lit up the thick fog above it and crossed the distance to bother the fine ears present for the festives set up exclusively for me and the village’s elites.

The ANBU was unmistakeable. He stood out with his blade drawn and his entire being heavily soaked in water. I was instantly confused as I approached. “What’s happened now?”

Panting, he knelt before me and spoke with urgency in his voice. “Sir…Kumogakure…they sent, they sent their Jinchuriki. The Eight Tails encroaches on our border sir, in full form!”

Huh?

“Juzo of the Swordsmen has made contact already, sir and Kisame has been summoned to—”

“Take me there, now.”

It's been so long since I posted with an author note and I kinda did that purposely. I couldn't be sure in any of those moments when my next post would be so despite the excitement I felt from your welcome back comments, I couldn't commit just yet.

I'm happy to say that I've got somethings handled now. I've finished the book I was ghostwriting and I think I have some mental space to catch up to the personal worlds I've been exploring.

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That said, I want to give huge thanks to everyone who has been a dedicated follower and patron to myself and this story. It's unbelievable how warm a few people out of thousands can make me feel and with just a few words too. Thank you, all of you.

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Hope to see you all next Friday and the Friday after that as well ^-^