Chapter Text
Senju Tsunade,
Rank: Elite Jōnin
Moniker: Slug Princess, Sannin, Greatest Iryō-nin Alive
Shinobi Identification Number: XXX-XXXX
By order of the Sandaime Hokage, you are to return to Konohagakure immediately upon receiving this missive. Your presence at the trial of Shimura Danzō is required due to the discovery of bloodline theft potentially relevant to you.
Your expertise is necessary for the verification of stolen genetic material from the Shodaime by Shimura Danzō, along with the need for a representative from the Senju Clan for the trial as a prosecutor for potential Senju bloodline theft and confirmed Uchiha bloodline theft.
If your presence in Konoha is not registered within 10 days, your bingo-book status will be updated to missing-nin of Konoha.
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Jiraiya,
Rank: Elite Jōnin
Moniker: Jiraiya of the Sannin, Konoha’s Spymaster, Toad Sage
Shinobi Identification Number: XXX-XXXX
By order of the Sandaime Hokage, you are to return to Konohagakure immediately upon receiving this missive. Your presence at the trial of Shimura Danzō is required due to your status as a Sage and as a student of the Sandaime.
If your presence in Konoha is not registered within 10 days, your bingo-book status will be updated to missing-nin of Konoha.
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When Youko returned home after a grim training session with Team 10, she was treated to the bizarre sight of her grandmother, who she hadn’t seen in six days, sitting at their dining table with the Nara Clan Head.
“Nice to finally see you again,” Youko blinked at grandmother. “It’s been a while.” Her eyes drifted towards Shikamaru’s father, but the Genin didn’t comment on his presence despite her curiosity.
Yaruki’s lips twitched, “Ah, yes. I’m afraid I was busy playing guard.” For a second she looked annoyed, but then her eyes flashed in that mischievous way that meant she was about to mess with someone purely for her own amusement. The younger Mitsue was intimately familiar with the look, and had fallen victim to it multiple times.
“Would you mind making some tea? We only just sat down, why don’t you join us?” Youko shot her grandmother a longsuffering look when Shikaku tensed. She watched as his eye twitched and wondered what he wanted to talk to obaa-chan about.
Nothing good, given the furiously circling rumours of the past week.
“Somehow, I don’t think this is the kind of conversation you should be inviting me to sit in on.” Youko stated dryly. Judging by their guest’s facial expression, she was right.
But Mitsue Yaruki enjoyed messing with people far too much to care for propriety or discretion when wanted, required or considered ‘appropriate’.
“ Nonsense! ” Obaa-chan cried, “Anything Nara-sama has to say to me can be heard by my apprentice and heir, surely?”
The poor Nara tried not to react, but his continued twitching indicated he was clearly unused to the true Mitsue Yaruki. Youko inadvertently felt amusement creeping up in her. Who would’ve thought that she’d have the upper hand the first time she crossed paths with the person who had intimidated her the most.
Shikaku suddenly looked far too much like Shikamaru, and Youko realised how foolish she had been to be so sure this man would suss out all her secrets within their first meeting. No one would consider her mature behaviour suspicious because the Mitsue were so isolated and wall-flower like that not even a Nara or Yamanaka could tell when their attitude should be considered strange. Plus, even now that the clan had been thrust into the spotlight, the focus was firmly on her obaa-chan, and understandably so. Mitsue Yaruki’s explosive public re-emergence would likely protect the rest of the clan from scrutiny, if only because everyone would be so focused on this three-time war veteran who had turned Konoha on its head in a single Clan Meeting.
Youko prepared the tea in the kitchen with an ease that betrayed practice and no small amount of amusement. Meanwhile, Shikaku and her grandmother sat in tense silence. Well, tense for the Nara, and cheerful on her obaa-chan’s part.
The silence lingered even when the kettle screeched, and it continued as Youko served everyone. Shikaku was locked in a staring contest with Yaruki, who only continued to smile serenely at him, thanking Youko for the tea and sipping it happily.
“Thank you for the tea,” Shikaku mumbled, his eyes flickering to Youko. He took a second to appraise her, during which Youko gave him a smile eerily similar to her grandmother’s.
“She’s messing with you, you know.” Youko blurted. “And you’re welcome. Next time just bring Shikamaru, he’d benefit from being present to observe how you navigate this situation. And at least then you’d feel like you’re on more equal footing.”
Yaruki giggled . Youko rolled her eyes at her grandmother. I swear she’s batshit crazy sometimes. Actually, most of the time.
Shikaku huffed, but some of the tension lining his shoulders seemed to have drained. “Alright then, I’ll be blunt. I think you should be Hokage.”
Yaruki’s amusement grew. “No.”
Shikaku’s right eye twitched again. “At least hear me out.”
Youko watched as her obaa-chan’s irritatingly serene smile turned into an airy grin. “No.”
The Nara Clan Head started to look like he was contemplating murder. “We have virtually no other option.”
“Oh, we don’t, do we?” If Youko could easily tell her grandmother was purposefully egging on the younger man, then Shikaku could probably tell as well - ah, there ! His nostrils flared slightly. He was trying to control his temper through his breathing.
The whole interaction was rather fascinating to Youko.
“You’re the one who pointed it out. Tsunade abandoned Konoha, the shinobi would take too long to trust her, especially with the trust lost in the current Hokage and the Advisors. The civilian population sensationalised her trauma and would treat her like a victim, which won’t end well because of her temper and all of it could just make her lose even more of the shinobi’s respect.”
Yaruki hummed, “Interesting, interesting…and what about Jiraiya?”
Shikaku’s irritation grew, “I’d just be repeating things you’ve already considered.” Clearly, he loathed the redundancy.
Youko's eyes bounced between the two adults attentively. Yaruki’s smile dropped and she gave him a stern look, “I want to know what you think, and don’t assume you know what I think. Assumptions can lead to horrible mistakes, like assuming your friend was truthful to you because of your friendship when it turns out he hid a lot. Stolen Sharingan, for example.”
Shikaku grimaced and gave in easily at her pointed tone. “Jiraiya could be a decent Hokage, because his harmless persona wouldn’t be seen as a threat to other nations, and despite that he is very powerful, but although not perfect,” he gave Yaruki a cautious look, “his spy network is important and it would take too long for him to pass it onto someone else.”
Obaa-chan huffed for some reason, but gestured with her hand, “Go on.”
“He’s bad with responsibility, and the kunoichi don’t like his perverted attitude. Half of the civilian population wouldn’t trust his intentions to be pure, which isn’t ideal obviously, even if it’s just the female portion.”
Youko raised her brow, “ Just the female portion? I hope you don’t mean to imply it’s any less important than the male portion?” Yaruki smirked at her granddaughter’s drawl.
Shikaku rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
Youko narrowed her eyes, “Actually, I don’t. I hope you’re not the source of Shikamaru’s misogynistic commentary.”
The Nara Clan Head eyed her with a frown, “He doesn’t mean any of that.”
Youko raised an eyebrow at him, “Repeat something enough and you may start to believe it. Isn’t that what happened to the Uchiha? The other clans told themselves it wasn’t their business until they believed it, and they didn’t do anything to stop the animosity between the village and a founding clan from growing.”
“It was a clan matter.” Shikaku insisted.
Youko gave him a dry look, “Do you still believe that after what obaa-chan uncovered?”
Her question hung in the air for a moment. “Some clan matters should become village matters,” Youko said firmly, her thoughts lingering on Neji’s hatred and Hinata’s harsh treatment. “But that’s not what you’re here for.” She glanced at her grandmother, who was watching with a glint of pride in her eyes and in the curve of her lips. “Obaa-chan won’t accept the mantle because the whole point of her speaking up was to show that it’s long past time for someone younger, with more modern ideals and who isn’t weary or corrupted by power or greed to take up the hat.”
Shikaku huffed, “I know, but better someone who is older, respected, and who has a clearer idea of what to do than someone younger who the population doesn’t trust.”
Yaruki shared a look with her granddaughter, and tilted her head towards the Nara while giving her a meaningful look. Youko responded with another long-suffering look that said ‘why me?’
Yaruki rolled her eyes but pointedly remained silent, and trained her eyes on Shikaku, who had watched the whole exchange with an observant gaze.
Youko groaned, “Fine, I’ll say it. You’re missing someone obvious.”
Shikaku looked amused, “Really? Who? Hatake Kakashi has too much unresolved trauma to deal with the responsibility and diplomacy necessary for the position, not to mention many civilians still think of him as the White Fang’s son or Friend-Killer Kakashi. Maito Gai is too - er, flamboyant for the position, and he would refuse it anyway due to the sheer amount of office hours required. The other Jōnin of their strength aren’t as publicly known, which is necessary for the civilians to trust and like them.”
“ You’re so oblivious !” Youko gaped incredulously. Before he could open his mouth to speak, his indignant look vanished with her next words, “Obviously, it’s you !”
There was a full minute of silence as her statement sunk in. His increasingly horrified expression made Youko and Yaruki burst into identical cackles of laughter.
“ No ! It would be so troublesome, I’m already Jōnin Commander and Clan Head, the combined paperwork is such a drag , not to mention there are stronger frontline fighters to choose from and - and - I’d barely have time to sleep …or train Shikamaru!”
Youko and Yaruki gave him identical grins that sent a shiver of dread down his spine. “Someone can easily replace you as Jōnin Commander, ask your wife to take over some more of your Clan Head duties - she’s more than capable, no? - and it never made any sense to desk a frontline fighter, because that would make them less combat-able.” Yaruki was delighted by how his expression fell with every sound argument.
“You have multiple clan members who can take over training Shikamaru in your clan technique, you could hire an assistant if you’re worried about paperwork, and as former Jōnin Commander you have the respect and visibility necessary for the position, not to mention experience.”
“If you’re going to say Yamanaka-sama could be considered instead,” Youko added gleefully, “You know that civilians will always be wary of the Head of Torture and Interrogation . You are genuinely the only legitimate choice.”
Shikaku still did not look pleased, “I’d only do it if it’s temporary, if the Sandaime and all the other Clan Heads agree unanimously, and if you take up the advisory position.”
“That’s easy enough.” Yaruki’s expression was shamelessly triumphant.
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Youko didn’t see much of her grandmother the following days, either. Right after Shikaku’s impromptu appearance at Youko’s house, another Clan Meeting was called and her grandmother was swamped once more. Training with obaa-chan had to take a backburner, so in her free time Youko practised Summoning Hikaru. It was still far too soon for her to learn how to absorb enough nature chakra into her body to attempt mastery of Sage mode, mostly due to her chakra coils not yet having fully developed, but Hikaru could still guide her through chakra manipulation exercises that were tougher than Youko had expected and left her sweating with a foreign type of fatigue that was both mental and physical.
Youko knew the Chūnin exams were coming up, and had settled on asking her grandmother to enter her in them. With all the new focus on the Clan, it was probably safer to try to pass the exam in Konoha, in case other nations acted on any curiosity. Somehow, between multiple meetings and what Youko was dubbing ‘Danzō-shifts’, obaa-chan had managed to set her up on a team that was missing a third member to train and familiarise herself with until the Chūnin exams.
When she received the missive with the training ground number that would be their daily meeting point for afternoon training the following two months, Youko felt a sudden thrill of excitement. She had no idea who would be on her team, and the fact that she would potentially be meeting new people tickled her curiosity.
She’d considered that maybe obaa-chan had tried to place her with Team Toruka, but she knew they were a full team and hadn’t been planning on taking the exams this time around, anyway. Disappointing, but there was nothing Youko could do about it.
The sight that greeted her at the training ground crushed any excitement bubbling in her immediately. Youko could only hope her face hadn’t turned the same shade of grey as the hair of one of her new teammates.
“You must be Mitsue Youko! It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Yakushi Kabuto greeted her with a gentle smile and a clumsy push of his glasses that would’ve made her immediately dismiss him as a threat. That made him all the more intimidating.