Chapter 58

It didn't take long for me to start walking Genma through the official documents that would solidify his apprenticeship. When I dropped it in front of him, he finally admitted that he couldn't read. I lectured him about it for a minute before reading each of the questions to him and guiding his hand to write down the answers, for both his form and his sister's. It was an exercise in frustration for both of us. He didn't understand the questions as well as he wanted to and I had to explain most of them. Three hours later, Genma proudly signed his name beside mine. At some point during the ordeal, he took a seat on my lap. When he finished, he didn't move from his perch; instead, he leaned back against me.

"I'm tired," he murmured, rubbing his eyes.

"Your bed is right up—" he was already out. I rolled my eyes and firmly reminded myself that he was only six years old.

I picked him up, decided against trying to haul him up to the top bunk and laid him on my bed.

I started filling out Blondie's form. She wasn't old enough to speak for herself, so I would need the signature of her guardian. I was nearly done with the form when Nagato stumbled into the room and dropped his weapons pouch just outside the door. I barely caught the boy before he face-planted. I dragged him over to the nearest chair and laid my hand on his chest, using medical chakra to flush the worst of the hallucinogens and other drugs from his system.

His head dropped onto my shoulder and drool gradually dampened my shirt. It didn't take long for me to bundle him into bed as well, with a little bit of medical chakra to make sure he stayed asleep long enough for the rest of the drugs to wear off. He'd have hell when he woke up since most of the standard interrogation drugs were highly addictive, but I wasn't particularly worried.

Once Nagato was settled, I finished the last of the paperwork and grabbed my vest on the way out to get the housing assignment for the two girls and hopefully gain a signature for Blondie's paperwork. It was just my luck to run into the agent carrying orders for me to immediately report to Kagami. I didn't bother asking what the rush was, I wouldn't get an answer. I headed straight for Kagami's office. I didn't bother knocking; I just barged in and tossed the papers on Kagami's desk.

"How?" he asked out of the blue.

"I beg your pardon?"

"How do you piss off a clan head to the point where he would claim a bastard child?"

"I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Oshiro Riku."

"I don't know—oh."

"How did you piss him off?"

"He was an ass and I told him to piss off, though, in my opinion, it was in a lot nicer words than I could have used."

"What reason could you possibly have to meet with him to tell him so?"

"Hey! He's the one that came to me just after I got back from Iwa, he started banging on the door all rude-like and demanding to speak with someone in charge. He wanted to buy and trade children like livestock, so I said no."

"Congratulations, you're the only living person to ever turn him down."

"I don't understand what this is about."

"That girl you locked in the training room with her arch-nemesis is his daughter, and somehow, he caught wind of you taking her on as a student and is pressing charges against you."

"What charges?"

"Theft of property."

"I never took anything of his."

"Bastard children are considered property by civilian law."

"That's sick. How can the Hokage—"

"The Hokage doesn't have a say, The Daimyō made the law for the entirety of the Land of Fire years ago. The Hokage answers to the Daimyō. I sent a team to research the girl as soon as I heard about the charges, but she hasn't committed any crimes on which she can be wrested away from a clan head who has the Daimyō's ear."

"She attempted to steal from and attack me earlier and she grabbed me when I was at the school, child or not, that's technically enough to get her executed according to the letter of the law, considering I'm ANBU and major village asset. I can press the charges against her and the judge can give her a sentence of ninja service instead of execution. He can't—"

"The Daimyō has already been brought into the case, so we can't work around it. Oshiro-san would prefer the girl dead."

"Then give her a hitai-ate. No one but the Hokage and her commander can claim her them."

"The Daimyō forbid anyone under the age of six to be Genin."

"What about the girl's mother?"

"She was murdered by a pickpocket less than an hour ago. There was no way to link the pickpocket to Oshiro-san or the Daimyō. He offered to drop the charges for one of the children of your clan."

"The Uzumaki clan is too small to be eligible for an exchange like that. Besides, I'm a shinobi, civilian law doesn't apply to me."

"Civilian law doesn't apply to you for as long as you aren't caught or accused. You can't be investigated for actions while you are on duty. Unfortunately, Jackal didn't go through the proper channels. You've been accused, and there is enough circumstantial evidence to make sure the charges can't be dismissed."

"The girl followed me. I didn't even do anything."

"We know that, the Hokage knows that, but we can't tell civilians that the girl was incorporated into ANBU, and no one witnessed your fight."

"Then give the girl back. She's too young for this life anyway."

Kagami studied me. "What do you know about Oshiro Riku?"

"He's an ass."

"Anything else?"

"He doesn't like it when he doesn't get his way?"

"After you turned the man down, he beat the two children he had brought with him and had them tossed in the river. The children would have drowned if it wasn't for a passing Genin who brought them to the hospital. They've been living on the streets ever since."

I could feel the blood leave my face in horror.

"If the girl can learn to keep ahold of her temper, she might be a decent agent, which is why I told the Hokage I would not be handing her over."

"Can't the Hokage—"

"He tried to represent you, but then the Oshiro head started to make demands of your clan."

"They wouldn't give anything without my say-so and I'm technically unreachable."

"It hasn't stopped him from attempting to buy out their Fūinjutsu business and the miniature lost and found business two of the younger clan members set up with help from their canine companions."

"The Fūinjutsu can't be sold to or by civilians without the Hokage's approval—they can't buy the business without a seal master. The children aren't of age; thus their business doesn't fall under village law. He can't touch the clan."

"True, but he can pressure civilians not to sell to them."

"They can just buy from shinobi clans. I made sure the clan wasn't reliant on any civilian-made products years ago."

"What about the children's school?"

"They go to a school for clan children, in which over fifty percent of the student population is from a shinobi clan. He can't close down the school without pissing off the clans as well."

"You are behind the times, Kichiro. The only clan children in the school now are from clans too small to make a difference, even when working together. The Akimichi pulled their civilian children from the school two years ago. No other clan, aside from the Uchiha and Hyuuga, have the economic clout necessary to give the Oshiro pause. All three are too busy finishing this war to care."

"Then the children can be taught at home."

"You can't lock the children away."

"Then let me talk to Oshiro and the Daimyō."

"They could—"

"Unless they hire missing-nin, which is strictly forbidden, they can't force me to do anything. They have no choice but to listen."

"Both parties have samurai at their command. Enough to overwhelm you."

"The Kyuubi can deter that threat, if the need arises."

Kagami considered it. "What would you tell them if I allowed this?"

"I'd remind them exactly why no one dares to threaten my family."

"I see. What about the girl?"

"I'll figure something out."

"You could make a permanent enemy."

"The Uzumaki clan is an ally of Konoha. Our enemies are Konoha's enemies. If Konoha's civilian population persecutes the Uzumaki in any way, they break the terms of the contract that ensure amicability between the clan and the village and we will no longer be bound to the village. The other villages would leap at the chance to gain access to Uzumaki Fūinjutsu. That would make it the Hokage's problem and he can handle the rest."

Kagami rubbed his temples. "The Daimyō isn't as weak as he was when you last met him."

"I won't be bullied into whatever they want from me."

"You still represent your clan."

"Well, it's good that my clan is well-known for their explosive tempers. I'm actually much calmer about this than any other Uzumaki would be."

Kagami flinched. "That's why I don't want to allow this."

"I'm not going to kill anyone, just scare them a bit."

"Your strong-arm tactics don't work, Kichiro."

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

"I was hoping you would have a viable alternative to the Hokage's solution."

"Alternative to what?"

"Discrediting the Oshiro clan."

"And this isn't the first option, why?"

"Konoha needs the economic power of their clan. Tactically, the best option would be to roll with their demands."

"You and the Hokage know that's an injustice. For once, I've done exactly what I was told, this mess is not my responsibility."

"You are uncharacteristically calm about this."

"Do I need to be getting worked up about this?"

"There is one last option I have in mind, but I will need your word that you will act responsibly and according to the letter of the law."

"What is the option?"

"I give you indefinite leave to go home. In that time, you will remain on your clan compound. As long as you promise to abide by the letter of the law, both civilian and shinobi, you will remain there until this case is settled. Your presence ought to bait Oshiro. Eventually, he will make a mistake. Nagato can teach the children the foundations until you can return."

"Why isn't Jackal responsible? He got me into this mess."

"Outside of ANBU, only Jackal's immediate family and the people who knew him as a child are aware of his existence. It would be like passing the charges onto a ghost and the Daimyō won't stand for it."

"Fine, I'll take the leave, but Nagato comes with me."

"I can give him the evenings, but no more, we are short-staffed and losing you, even if it is only for a week or two is a risk."

"It's not like I'm leaving the village."

"You aren't leaving the immediate area of your compound either."

I shrugged. "I'm still available as emergency personnel, I don't need to guard the compound, just occupy it, right?"

He didn't answer right away.

"I'm just there as bait, the clan isn't in any immediate danger from a civilian, right?"

"If this escalates, they could be."

"Damn it! What the hell am I stuck in the middle of and how?"

"Ultimately, it's a power play between the Hokage and the Daimyō."

"I'm not the Hokage's—"

"Enough, Kichiro. I need your word that you will stick to both civilian and shinobi law."

"Fine," I snapped.

"I'll hold you to it. We'll stick to this plan. You'll stay and wait for Oshiro to take the bait. I'll send Sakumo if the plan changes or I need to give further orders. I recommend schooling your fellow orphans at home for the time being, they are most certainly not safe at school and shinobi are not allowed on the premises."

"You just told me they can't be locked away."

"They won't be, you can take them around the village, but the situations at the school might escalate and children are not equipped to deal with them."

"Fine. If that's the case, I want Nagato with me."

Kagami gritted his teeth. "Fine, but he will be on-call during the day."

"What about Genma?"

"In his file, you mentioned he couldn't read, correct? I'll occupy him and the girls with schoolwork until you return."

I tried to hurry out, but Kagami called for me to wait.

"I know this isn't entirely fair to you, but if you screw up, the Hokage and I have no grounds to defend you."

"What time do I need to be home by?"

"Midnight. It's almost dinnertime now."

I tuned on my heel and shut the door politely behind me. My first stop was to the room I locked the girls in. It wasn't difficult for me to enter without them noticing. They weren't fighting or arguing, instead, they were sitting on opposite sides of the room, pointedly not looking at each other. I leaned back against the door casually and revealed myself.

"I suppose this is better than fighting, but not by much. It's a start. Come here, both of you." I met them in the middle of the room and the three of us sat in a triangle. Neither said a word. "I'm not idealistic enough to believe that the two of you actually talked through your disagreement. That's what we're going to do now."

"Where's my brother?" Red demanded.

"Sleeping. He's too young for the responsibility he has. I have a mission, of sorts, so I'm not going to be able to supervise the two of you for the next week or two, it could be longer. So, we're going to talk about this now, and the two of you will be expected to remain civil with each other until I return. Blondie, since you're on my left, you can go first. Why do you hate Red?"

"She's mean."

Red protested, but I held up a hand. "How is she mean?"

"She tries to boss me and the other kids around."

"Okay, Red, why do you hate Blondie?"

"She never does what she's supposed to. In class she's always messing around and causing problems and being distracting."

"Blondie, why do you think Red tries to boss other people around?"

"Because she's mean and a know-it-all."

"What other reasons can you think of?" I gave her a minute to think before turning to Red. "Why do you think Blondie likes to mess around?"

"Because she's stupid and likes to cause trouble and get—" Red broke off. Something clicked for her.

"Get what?" I prompted, surprised at how easy it was.

"Attention, she doesn't have Nobody to make sure she's okay at night." Red frowned, studying the other girl with a frown.

"Good. Blondie, anymore thoughts as to why Red tries to boss people around?"

She nodded but didn't say anything, staring at the ground in front of her crossed legs. The girls cooperated as I made them both talk about what the other did, said, or even looked like that ticked the other girl off. It only took about a half hour before the girls started to realize how stupid the majority of their points were and started to understand the other's reasoning for their actions. I made them finish out the hour with stupid getting-to-know-you games. By that point, they weren't particularly fond of each other, but they weren't going for the other's throats.

I handed them each a ration bar to eat, and when they finished, I guided them to the room the Twins 2.0 used to share. They had long since moved into the area of headquarters where infiltrators lived. Fortunately, it had already been set up for the girls, everything in the room sharply divided.

"Both of you go to sleep. In the morning, I won't be here, I might not be back for several weeks. In the meantime, you will be given schoolwork and lessons from another agent, or possibly several agents. Do your best on the work and learn as much as you can. When I get back, they'll be a test. If you both do well on it and keep the fighting in the meantime to an absolute minimum, trust me, I'll know if you've been fighting at all, I'll start teaching you shinobi things. If you continue to fight and/or don't do well, you will be continuing the lessons with me for another few months. What applies to one of you applies to the other, understand? You will have some lessons with Genma, if not all of them. If he has to break up any of your fights, you both automatically fail. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Kichiro-sensei," they responded, subdued.

"Have a good night."

"Good night," they responded. I smiled at them both before closing the door behind me.

A few minutes later, I managed to wake Genma up and give him the same news, reminding him to do his best. I told him about my deal with the girls. I didn't care as much about his academics and I told him as much. If I was only teaching him, I could teach him the same way I taught Nagato, giving the lessons as they became relevant to what he was learning. It worked great with Nagato, and I hoped it would work just as well with Genma. At long last, I was able to pick up Nagato, who was still asleep, and shunshin to the Uzumaki house.

Carrying Nagato unconscious on my back wasn't the kindest way to show up, so after making sure no one was on the top floor, I slipped in the window and laid Nagato on the mattress in the somewhat center of the room, which had several blankets piled on it. I tossed a few of them over him and stripped off my weapons and armor before slipping downstairs. All the children, aside from the oldest, whose name I was surprised to remember was Gin, were asleep, or almost asleep in their respective rooms, curled up on top of, against, or in one case, trying to wriggle underneath their canine companions. Gin was in the corner of the library and the nervous state of his chakra indicated that he wasn't quite within his rights, but I didn't rat him out. Fusō was tucking little Natsuki into bed, woman I remembered as a doctor wasn't in the house, and two of the seal masters were on the second floor working on a seal. The third seal master, Takeshi, and Ise were sitting at the end of the dining room table, leaning over several pieces of paper and scrolls.

I leaned against the doorframe and waited for them to notice me. Fusō came out of Natsuki's room and saw me immediately, but didn't say anything, she just made sure to approach in my peripheral.

"Is Nagato okay?" She asked warily as she pulled me into a hug. What the other three were working on must have been extremely important, because after looking up, surprised, they quickly returned to the discussion.

"Yeah, he's upstairs and asleep, had a rough day."

"How long are you back?" She asked as if it hadn't been three years since she last got more than a note assuring the family we were alive.

"A week at the least, it could be a month or two." Her grip tightened and I felt a few drops land on the top of my head. "What's going on here?" I asked cautiously.

"Several civilian clans are ignoring the fact that the Uzumaki have sat on that council for longer than any of their clans. It's nothing for you to worry about."

"It is, actually, since a civilian clan is one of the primary reasons I'm here right now."

"No, Kichiro, this really does have nothing to do with you."

"Okay," I yielded.

"Tomorrow's the weekend, all of this can wait."

Ise started to pick up the papers and everyone but him and Fusō hurried out.

"You've gotten so big!" Fusō exclaimed, tightening her grip and patting my head. I was starting to feel a bit lightheaded from the restricted circulation. I stood on tiptoe so I could lay my head on her shoulder and hug her back.