Reborn in the Mist

The Raikage agreed.

After nearly three weeks of silence since Mabui first visited, she finally returned and with her an entourage heaving stacks of gold ingots and a bag of cold, hard paper cash. I couldn’t help but feel shy at the sums flooding Kiri’s coffers lately— Bee’s submission of an entire treasure ship was worth all the millions gathered today and possibly more if we can sell the right jewels for the right price.

I’d only begun to have funding issues as the village responded to my policies. The violent reorganization of the caste clan system, the addition of new territory bases and the intake of Kekkei Genkai clans as well as the creation of an entirely new internal security department— all added up more than the Water Daimyo’s obligatory investment could cover.

With this insertion, Kirigakure’s budget for the next two or three years would be an afterthought. I licked my lips and ran a finger over the stack of ingots nearly reaching my shoulders, my reflection caught in it, like a fresh egg’s yolk. The only other here with me was Uncle Aoto and the pair of old and young guardians from the Funato clan.

The older man, easily Uncle’s age or older, scribbled on a clipboard. Two extra pencils stuck behind his ear as he watched his younger counterpart lift, appraise and weigh the gold ingots.

“This is…the quality of these…impressive!” The young Funato exclaimed as he deeply appraised the ingot. He threw it up and down several times, his grin and excitement increasing each time. “Perfect!”

“Boy would you concentrate!” The elder barked, he had a nervousness about him that saw him bow his head every time he looked our way. He glanced at me and shrunk, hissing at his colleague. “Mizukage-sama is waiting, weigh the ingots and be quick about it!”

I wore a polite smile for the enthralled young man but he was neither impressed nor intimidated. He shrugged at me and gestured at the shelves that lined the treasury room. Kirigakure was sufficiently stuffed even with the Daimyo’s gradual neglect— rows upon rows were full of boxed jewels, weapons, ingots of gold, silver and or rare metals.

As Kage I knew that this all was the surface level wealth to Kirigakure. Much of our true riches lay in the deals struck between leaders of nations and hidden villages and to my knowledge, there was a huge chest full of nothing but land documents and paperwork trailing all sorts of back channeled mercenary and trade agreements.

Still, I listened to what the boy had to say. “These ingots aren’t like ours.” He snatched one off the shelf and compared it to what Kumo had brought us. The difference was visible to the naked eye. “Theirs is heavier. This isn’t the standard ingot size either, I’ll have to weigh and appraise each and everyone for impurities.”

“That’ll take…days, Mizukage-sama.” The older man bowed his head low, almost apologizing for the boy.

“Of course it will, if we want to be sure we’re not getting gold-lined copper then we’d better take all the time we need, right?” The cheeky accountant might as well have winked at me, his monocle popped off his eye and he went to town scrubbing the sore skin around it. “It’ll be accurate, I promise!”

Uncle breathed a sigh behind me. “Let’s leave them to it, this is how they’ve always been.” The old man bowed even further, murmuring a spew of apologies as we turned away. “Mabui is waiting for you, I’m glad you’re putting this all to an end.”

“I’m glad too.”

I’d stopped holding my breath about what Kumogakure chose to do against us. Whether they brought war or peace, it didn’t matter anymore to me because I’d prepared for both in the three weeks since. I was still glad they chose not to spill blood, it’d have been a shame to execute Killer Bee’s friend Jay— he was quite the talent to manage infiltration teams for as long as he did. Eiko learned much about his techniques and methods, such invasions wouldn’t work on Kirigakure again.

“You don’t sound glad.” Uncle said as we walked out of the treasury. A bald headed Chuunin handed us our weapon pouches before letting us through the second door where Uncle alone stood to be searched.

I leaned against the wall as Uncle spun for the Chuunins searching him. “What do you want me to sound like?”

“I don’t know, like you’ve just sold peace to the most aggressive Hidden Villages?”

I snorted at his words. “You’re exaggerating.”

The Chuunin let him free and we continued out a third set of doors that led to a winded stairway. Uncle shook his head at me, walking backwards up the spiral stairs, “How? Isn’t that exactly what this is?”

“Maybe and I am glad.” I said as unenthusiastically as last time. “It’s one problem settled and onto the other isn’t it?”

When I turned to look Uncle had the most sour expression on his face, the same one he took on whenever I returned from a mission and told him I didn’t get drunk and have an orgy with the locals like he encouraged.

“Perhaps I can’t understand you anymore.” He muttered sadly. “But if that’s enough for you then, I’ll look into the next problem with you.

I smiled back at him as we rose up the final steps, “Thank you, Uncle, you by my side is just what I need.”

He nodded gleefully but blinked as he thought to ask. “What is the next problem?”

At the top of the stairway was a door, I twisted the knob and it opened up to the Tower’s reception, positioned neatly between two administrative dais with built fences and another door leading out to the clamouring visitors. The Chuunin and Jounin overseers managing the mission desks didn’t mind the intrusion and went on grading and filing mission requests.

A strict pair of ANBU unveiled themselves, shimmering into existence beside the door like they’d always been there. Their masks were unique and of a twin— a single curling wave split their porcelain white, the splendor of its ink and the masks own craftmanship was catching. Not unlike the hoard they protected.

The treasure guards approached the door as they weaved hand seals in sync. With a resounding clap they forged the final seal together, fingers intertwined in what looked like an awkward horse seal. It did the job though. The door to the stairway, to the treasury, to my coffers flickered like a firefly fleeing a child before it vanished, only a plain brick wall left behind.

The treasure guard turned swiftly and bowed like their backs were stiff. They vanished without a dismissal, likely lurking about as I was reassured there were other entrances. Uncle and I shared a crinkled look and a shrug, their weak obedience— even in face of my recent terror— wasn’t difficult to shrug away. The treasure guards were only technically under my control but above me was the ghost of the First Mizukage.

Founding a Hidden Village, a Great one at that, lent more authority than I presently had as a successor. There were unchallengeable laws, principles and cores set by the Lord First. I rarely had issues with them, they were largely sensible and often winded up granting me more power. In this case, the treasure guards being a cultish, semi-independent, secretive organization linked with feudal banking turned to my favour— it was easier to stave corruption and embezzlement at the highest levels.

Through the next door was the large, oval reception hall complemented by two similar twin dais. The expansive hall held space for at least two more twin dais and was further complemented by a statue quad of Mizukage. My statue form stood a generous head below its predecessors.

I know I’ve been growing taller lately but this…flattering.

My eyes spun the crowd of peasants, merchants, lords and shinobi. It wasn’t difficult finding Mabui, a caramel skinned young lady was a standout in Kirigakure. Mabui sat still and pretty, her legs leaned underneath her seat and her hands laid perfectly on her lap. Her poised and respectable manner and appearance was enough to distract many from reacting as they would— by dropping at my feet with the usual pleas to hasten their process.

Her eyes were deadset on the hallway leading into the rest of the Tower and up to my office. A trio of dark skinned, angry looking shinobi hovered around her, only adding to the attention they drew.

Mabui was up on her feet the moment she glimpsed us approach, suffering only a brief moment of confusion because where I appeared is not where she’s been expecting. She shuffled towards Uncle and I and we met in the middle.

“I trust everything is in order?” She made no effort to hide the irritation in the question. A cursory glance at her bodyguards and the arrogant looks on their face told a short story of the odd ingots they’d delivered.

Cloud heads are truly snubs. Let’s fix that.

“It will be in short order.” I said, not bothering to acknowledge what must be the Raikage’s way of flaunting his power. You’re welcome to overpay as much as you want Kumo. “You failed to deliver the amount in standardized ingots, since we’re being polite, I won’t send you away with them.”

For a flash Mabui looked insulted. “Give it time to verify,” I said quickly. “In the meanwhile, we should step into my office.” I strained a smile as the clamour of the masses around grew to an unbearable volume.

Fear kept people away but didn’t seal their desperate mouths. They yelped their pleas at me, every glance I eked their way raised both hope and voice. The standing Tower guards could only escort so many guests out before my presence started hurting the business and Mabui smoothly understood that.

She fell into step beside me, almost leading the way before falling to my stride. She glanced at me, her previous expression pacified at least but there was something more. Something that made me smirk bitterly.

“Remind me, what is your rank and station to the Raikage?”

“What?” The mean look returned with a cloud of confusion and when I didn’t say anything it deepened with furrows as she stuttered. “Um, I am a Tokubetsu Jounin as the Raikage’s special aide.”

I cocked a brow. “Special?”

The implication was bare and this time the expression of insult was not just that. Mabui gasped a full breath, slighted like I’d smacked her across the face. “That is not our way, Mizukage-dono. I am a fre—”

“I merely jest, Mabui.” I flashed a smile as bright as a lie and gestured up at my office doors. “Ah, here we are.”

The doors swung open and I strode in freely, a stack of fresh paperwork delivered to clone workstations and said clones sifting around, reading the atmosphere of the guest tagging along…or not.

Mabui lingered behind me, not an inch into my office. “Where is…Lord Karatachi, your Uncle I believe?”

I looked around and indeed, aside from the mean Kumo-nin protecting Mabui, Uncle was nowhere to be found. I shrugged and beckoned her in, “He does that. He’s a shinobi. Now, let’s finalize this patrol deal so you can be on your merry way.”

Mabui once again hesitated. A guard handed her a scroll which she gingerly stepped forward with. “Forgive my impatience…abrasive manners, Mizukage-dono. On the Raikage’s behalf…” She took to a regal bow and handed me the scroll. “We apologize for these unfortunate incidents.”

I nodded and sat with the unfurled scroll. It was a signed, official letter from— Lord Ay, Fourth Raikage. The contents were a brief, formal yet remorseful apology that couldn’t have possibly been written by Ay himself. That earned an amused chuckle but as the apology trailed off into a request, I cocked that brow again.

“You truly want to stay here?” I asked bewildered at what I’d read. Mabui nodded without a word. “Interesting…”

‘Forgive the imperitness, however if the Mizukage would shelter Team Mabui, it would be much appreciated.’

It went without saying that hospitality, even for a brief moment, was an extended offering to foreign couriers and entourages like Mabui’s. Though in times of tense turmoil like this one, I could understand the Raikage’s extra layer of precaution.

If he places his pawns under my care then I should see no reason to devour them…huh. It was a move that amounted to having the wolves raise your babies. I smiled and shrugged it off, it was a tad childish and fearful— I’ve been the honest speaking Kage all this time, there’s no point in undoing that now.

“Very well, I’ll arrange for accommodations here in the Tower.” I said.

“Within the Tower and not…” Mabui began, clearly having some expectations dashed. She abandoned her trailed off words and stepped fully into my office, shedding all hesitancy as she did. “Very generous, Mizukage-dono.”

“Please, call me Yagura.” I said, smirking up at her. Already I’d noted strange behaviours about her, she behaved like she’d downloaded intel on our innermost workings. The ingots were purposely abnormal and it wasn’t simply just to flaunt wealth. And finally, the four mean looking guards that followed Mabui around, none of them had any significance in my memory of this world but four was plenty enough.

She mirrored my smile. “Yagura-dono, when should I expect your teams to join ours in patrol?”

“As soon as I’ve picked them, in the meantime, why not tell me about your…companions.” I said, eying the quad behind her. They felt noticed and straightened up, one even opening his mouth to speak before being silenced by another.

Mabui didn’t glance at them as she spoke, “What’s to tell? They are my bodyguards and should the need arise, they’ll be the first participants in our little bonding exercises.”

“I see…” I trailed off in thought as I sorted through personnel files to find the right fit for the exercise. Anyone with a strong water or wind affinity would do it. “Could they excuse us for a moment?”

This time Mabui did look over her shoulder. Her eyes locked with concern for the briefest moment before she took charge again and waved them out of the room. They were deliberately sluggish with their exit but once they’d left I asked a question I hoped she’d have the insights to answer.

“What does the Raikage think of mercenary shinobi groups? Like the one in Amegakure.”