Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Sprouting
The Yamanaka Compound is closer to the central village than others. It makes sense, as the Yamanaka are probably one of the most integrated Clans in all of Konoha — on par with the Akimichi — due to their flower shops, tea shops, TI presence and general… kindness. The Ino-Shika-Cho Clan Trio were probably the most well-liked out of every other Clan residing in Konoha's walls. The Uchiha left much to be desired with their excessively conservative ways, but frankly, Toshiro preferred them over the Hyuuga, who would seal away their own children and somehow thought segregating their own blood had...meaning.
Inoka waits at the gates, the walls enclosing the Compound built from well-kept wood and dripping with flowering vines. Seals no doubt lay below the flora, providing far more protection than one would ever expect a basic wooden wall to.
Her hair is tied up in a tight bun today and she's traded her usual kimono for the standard jounin uniform. She flashes a smile when he stops before her. "Ready for war?"
He raises a brow at her choice of words, "You certainly look it."
"I've got a mission later." She shrugs. "Depending on how long this goes I'll have to leave early. But you're smart, even if that happens you'll end up with friends here."
"Your confidence in me is inspiring." He murmurs, mouth quirked with humor.
Inoka scoffs, "Don't smirk at me like that, you look like an albino Uchiha."
He rolls his eyes and follows her to the Main House. Like expected, the Compound looks like a small village. The main street is lined with individual, spread out buildings and homes. Full yards and space to spare. The building aesthetic is classically japanese, sandalwood and sloping rooftops, sliding doors and cultivated gardens. Yamanaka children run after each other in the streets, safe under the eyes of countless family members, no matter how distantly related.
Toshiro can see the appeal of a Clan. There's a sense of...togetherness that Konoha as a whole lacks. He understands the need to have family traditions and some degree of separation, but shouldn't Konoha feel more like a giant Clan? Konoha….the Clan, and every actual clan just another family. A better comparison would be that Konoha should be as comfortable and connected with each other the way the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans are.
A country couldn't function if it wasn't united.
He's actually dressed nice. Since his life is consumed by his work, he doesn't spend a lot of the money he earns. That means he's got quite a bit of it saved up, enough to easily buy a few nice kimonos of varying levels of formality. Inoka advised him to wear something a little more formal than casual, because while the Yamanaka were not as steeped in tradition as other clans, Toshiro was still meeting with the Clan Head.
He'd settled on a kimono that began as a deep, carmine red before trailing into black, outlines of lotus flowers embroidered throughout in shimmering silver thread and his obi just as black as the kimono's hem. A slate gray haori to top it off, and Toshiro was decked out nicer than he's ever been before — and this isn't even the most formal kimono he'd purchased! It feels really fancy. And heavy. Also flowy. There's plenty of space to hide weapons, but also so much fabric that Toshiro feels like his movements would be heavily restricted in a fight.
At least he looks nice. Ash blond hair is long enough now to rest in a small ponytail at the base of his neck, and he'd very artfully left out a few strands of hair to frame his face. A full night's rest had taken care of the worst of the bags under his eyes, so he looks better than he has in weeks, new clothes aside.
Make a statement.
If only that didn't have to rely so heavily on appearance. Toshiro tries to keep the frown off his face. Best not think about such things now, he has to focus on the upcoming conversation.
"Aikawa-sensei." Yamanaka Inoichi is a tall man, though tall is all a matter of perception to someone like Toshiro, who is 5'5" when he doesn't slouch. Inoka is taller than her clan head, but Inoichi is broader, his hair a few shades darker and his face very square. He sits in a traditional seiza across a short table while their tea is poured and is dressed comfortably in a striped, deep purple kimono. His attire looks a little bit less formal than Toshiro's own, but not enough to be a slight against the other.
Because apparently you can offend Clan people by being better dressed than them during official meetings. The idea that clothing dictates your station in life is very bothersome, but not something Toshiro wants to be overly concerned with, as long as he can get the support he needs to overthrow the current system.
"Yamanaka-sama." He greets in return, glad for the long hours of both shinobi and hospital life. Sitting in seiza is not his idea of fun, nor is it comfortable, but at least he can do it for far longer than expected of a clanless nobody. "Thank you for seeing me."
"Of course," The older man replies, a loose smile on his face. He picks up the cup of tea before him when the young Yamanaka attending them finishes pouring. She bows, tray pressed to her chest, then leaves, taking care to slide the doors shut behind her.
Toshiro takes a sip after Inoichi does, more nervous about being impolite than he is about doing what basically amounts to a school presentation.
"Inoka says you're only seventeen." The Clan Head begins with small talk.
The woman in question is sitting seiza in the corner to the right, behind Toshiro. It takes a bit more willpower than he likes to keep from turning to look at her. He doesn't need to, he already has her support and he knows what he wants to say.
"Yes."
"And a Chuunin?"
Toshiro nods, hands remaining curled around the warm cup. "Field promoted at ten, Yamanaka-sama."
"No desire to pursue Jounin status?" The man inquires, and Toshiro can't quite tell what kind of curiosity backs the question.
He chooses his next words carefully, having been a little less prepared to enter a more personal conversation. "I have no doubt that I could obtain such a promotion if I actively pursued it." Because he's not a quitter, and even if he's not S-Class ANBU material, that doesn't mean he couldn't make a decent Jounin. "But my current interests lie on a different path. If a promotion becomes necessary, then it'll take precedence."
Inoichi's expression is quite open for someone peeling Toshiro apart with his eyes. The Yamanaka are masters of the mind, they pick people apart for a living — such scrutiny is discomforting, but Toshiro is accustomed to Inoka's hawk-like gaze and confident that he's not at risk of physical or mental harm within the Yamanaka Compound. The only thing potentially at risk right now is his pride.
"Tell me about your interests, Aikawa-sensei," Inoichi finally says, breaking the silence with a smile. This time it feels a bit more genuine. Toshiro is impressed, he hadn't even realized the first one wasn't.
"I have many interests, Yamanaka-sama. The greatest being the evolution of Konoha." Toshiro replies, "Rather than remain in stagnation, I believe there are numerous ways to improve Konoha and grow, and just because something is sustainable doesn't mean it can't be better. Turning away from progress does nothing for the village but make us weaker and allow everyone around us to sprint ahead while we trail behind."
"You sound very opinionated." Inoichi comments lightly, nothing negative in his expression. Which doesn't tell Toshiro much, because the man is a master manipulator.
"I suppose that's a word for it. I like to think of it as being actively involved in Konoha's continued success." Toshiro takes another sip of the tea. It's a floral blend he doesn't recognize. "I also like to think that as a citizen of Konoha, I should be allowed some opinion on the way the village treats the people who live here. A bit hypocritical to deny me as such, but expect everything in return from me."
For a moment, Inoichi is silent, mulling over Toshiro's — admittedly, very aggressive — words. Then he smiles, slow and sharp, a look that Toshiro has seen grace Inoka's face before. The grin of a shark that scents blood.
"You know, I believe we're going to get along swimmingly, Aikawa-sensei." The man tips his chin forward, pupil-less gaze freezing Toshiro in place. "Inoka mentioned the types of reforms you were seeking as a sort of Phase One, but I'd like to hear them from you."
Toshiro remembers a phrase from the life he lived before. Rome wasn't built in a day. The words would have less of an impact on the people here, who wouldn't have the slightest clue what Rome was, but the context he seeks is identical. "A village is not built in a day. It will take a long time for Konoha to flourish, perhaps years of cultivation. Phase One is an accurate statement. I've sorted the reforms I wish to put into action by level of importance and current attainability. In no way do I believe all of them will be possible, nor do I believe the proposals I put forward will be considered final drafts. They're just the bare bones of potential, and it cannot blossom without the input of Konoha as a whole. That includes all its people."
He takes a breath, brow furrowing. "I'll be the first to admit I'm not familiar with Clan Politics, nor do I have the same drive for law as I do for medicine. I don't trust myself to know best." Toshiro squares his shoulders, "And I don't believe anyone should, because then it's no longer about the community...it's about you."
Inoichi remains silent, slowly taking sips of the steadily cooling tea and listening with rapt attention. Being under such intense focus is both nerve-wracking and flattering. It's not often a person with such importance actually listens to Toshiro.
"My first goal is the complete renovation of the hospital. The floor plan is a disaster for the amount of patients we receive, as well as the types. Konoha's population is over triple the amount it was during the Shodaime's reign. Organizing the hospital would aid in the protection of both civilians and shinobi from potential exposure or traumatic incidents. As it stands, last month we had three civilians inhale an airborne poison attached to an injured shinobi's clothing during his admittance."
Inoichi raises an eyebrow, looking appropriately disturbed by the news. "Why was this not brought to the Council's attention?"
"Yamanaka-sama, that incident and every other before it has been included in the reports we send in with Aoyama-sensei. She is consistently blocked at every angle by older members of the Council who deem it an unnecessary concern because no one has died yet."
A frown flickers across Inoichi's lips. "Most news from the Hospital only ever concerns funding."
Toshiro is sure he fails to keep his expression from going deadpan, "And who exactly told you that?"
Inoichi sighs, "I see where you're going…can't say I'm surprised to hear that vital information is being choked at the source before it reaches the actual discussions. I suppose it's also the fault of the rest of us for letting her be snubbed at every turn."
"It is." Toshiro doesn't sugarcoat his words, nor does he drop the eye contact he's been holding with the older man. "Now it's up to you whether or not you continue to let it happen."
A laugh bursts from Inoichi's mouth, a throaty, booming sound originating in his chest. "You speak like a kunai! It's refreshing to hear such honesty paired with intelligence. Your plans are admirable, Aikawa-sensei, and your words are nothing short of invigorating. I have no doubt you would hold your own against even the Elders, though I wouldn't recommend earning their ire."
"If they're consumed by personal feelings then it's not me who should be worried." He says, wary to say anything else on the matter as his words already border on...not treasonous, but certainly not respectful.
"That is true," Inoichi allows, "But let's return to the matter of your proposals before we get too ahead of ourselves."
Toshiro waits patiently, hope blossoming in his chest. He feels Inoka's chakra humming behind him, pulsing like a racing heartbeat. She hasn't said a word — and she won't, she's strictly here to observe the legitimacy of their meeting — but it's nice to know that she's on his side, that she feels like she has just as much of a stake in winning this battle that he does. That's the whole point, after all. He doesn't want to do this alone. That was never the plan.
Toshiro bows his head, not deeply, but enough to convey his sincerity. "I'm asking for your support because this is not a task I can do on my own. It is also not one I want to do on my own. I believe in a Konoha that can stand as a unified front; where people are heard no matter their status, where every citizen, shinobi or civilian, feels like they can get help when they need it, can feel safe and whole and healthy."
All he wanted was to never again see a child, glassy-eyed and milk pale, staring into an unfathomable distance as their flesh cooled and the life drained from their tiny, immature bodies. He wanted the people on the streets to feel like they could be safe in the place they called home, unworried and allowed to live, to be whatever they wished as long as they didn't infringe upon others. (Let children be children, let shinobi feel like they could dream without the presence of blood.)
"I believe," Inoichi murmurs, "That perhaps we should write up a contract."
Toshiro exhales, "Yamanaka-sama?"
He's gifted with a grin that makes Inoichi look about ten years younger, "After, you will have the support of my Clan, and we will build you your hospital."
Toshiro walks home alone, giddiness in his steps and a burn at the back of his eyes that he forcefully shoves away. They would be happy tears, but tears haven't fallen from his rosy gaze in years. Today is just day one, there will be other, bigger days that deserve such a spill of emotion.
He spots Kakashi about half-way back, slouched and staring at nothing as he walks, a grocery bag hanging from his wrist. The street lanterns have switched on and dusk was an hour before. The dark of the night is cooling after such a humid, sunny day. Toshiro feels such incredible amounts of excitement in his blood that he doesn't hesitate to call out to the man.
"Hello, Kakashi-san!" He waves, smile pulling so widely at his mouth it hurts his cheeks.
The not-so-secret ANBU member blinks, visible eye scanning over Toshiro's well-dressed form. "Ah, Aikawa-sensei."
Toshiro stops just a few feet away from the other, waving the address away with his hand. "Please, just call me Toshiro, you're not much older than me."
"...you're in a good mood." Kakashi notes, slouching even more.
"I've just gotten some good news." Toshiro hums, rocking back on his heels. He tilts his head back and stares up at the faintly twinkling stars, inhaling deeply. "Change is finally coming."
"Congratulations." Kakashi says, though he clearly has no idea what Toshiro is talking about.
Toshiro looks back at the taller man, suddenly sheepish, "Sorry to stop you on your way home. My excitement got the best of me when I spotted a familiar face."
Kakashi shuffles a little, shrugging with one shoulder. "No need to apologize. It's good that you're….happy."
Sighing gently, Toshiro brushes a loose strand of hair away from his cheek. He offers the man a smile, this one softer than the near-painful one he'd given earlier. "I am happy. Isn't that funny? Happy." He mouths the word silently. "How odd."
They stand in silence for a bit, but this one feels a little less awkward than their usual pauses.
Kakashi flickers his one-eyed gaze away and clears his throat. "Not odd, I don't think."
"No," Toshiro whispers, "Maybe not. Just unfamiliar."
The sound of cicadas picks up a notch. There's a dog barking a few blocks over. One of the lanterns at the opposite end of the street flickers for a moment.
"You look nice." It's murmured awkwardly, the silver-haired ANBU shifting once more on his feet. It's a far cry from the human statue the man turns into when he grows uncomfortable or unsure. It's...a change.
"What?" Toshiro chuckles a little, holding his arms out and doing a little spin that flares the loose fabrics of his haori and kimono. "The clothes? Thanks!"
"No. Well, yes." Kakashi clears his throat. "I meant the...happiness."
"Oh." He stops showing off, arms falling back to his sides. "You look nice too."
The confusion on Kakashi's mostly covered face is obvious — for the split second that it's present. He's dressed in a style extremely similar to his ANBU uniform, once again somehow either hoping no one has working eyes or not caring if the whole damn village knows he's a Black Ops operative. There's nothing particularly different about him from a visual standpoint.
Toshiro cuts him some slack. "The honesty. You wear it well."
The taller man stares at him, motionless.
"Goodnight, Kakashi-san." Toshiro says, offering another smile and continuing on his way home. He has work at 12PM tomorrow.
It's not until he's almost out of earshot that he finally hears a response, nearly lost among the sounds of a buzzing night.
"Goodnight, Toshiro-sensei."
In the following months, life picks up. It's busy and stressful and so, so full of change — and he loves every moment of it. The contract he strikes up with Yamanaka Inoichi means that the Yamanaka Clan will now provide support to the hospital. There were a lot of kinks to work out and honestly, Toshiro is sure he's getting the better end of the deal. There's no doubt Inoichi knows this, too, but Toshiro isn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and reject the kindness he's being shown. Following that contract, the Nara and Akimichi accepted Toshiro's olive branch and expanded upon it.
The Yamanaka Clan will provide the money for a new hospital. It will include a wing for mental therapy run by the Yamanaka Clan, who would also offer classes about psychology. Plant-based medical and poison research was shared entirely, and the Nara would be in charge of setting up the research wing and outfitting it appropriately. Any Nara of acceptable rank was allowed full access to the labs. They had their own as well, which would allow the passing of information back and forth. The Akimichi were kind. They had money to spare with how successful their restaurant chain was, so their only stipulation was that the hospital cafeteria was outfitted to their standards and an Akimichi stall was present. Toshiro had no problem with that, it would be an incredible upgrade from the bland food the hospital currently served.
In return, class on Medical Ninjutsu would be held at the hospital, with every Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi allowed five free classes, then half-off all remaining ones. Toshiro had argued for that, which had made him sweat under the gazes of three clan heads, but he held out in his reasoning that offering an entirely free education to every member of a clan would only show favoritism and create a larger divide between them and those who still had to scrounge up the money to pay.
He's pretty sure Nara Shikaku likes him.
And is perhaps conspiring to get Toshiro to marry into the Nara Clan.
Which...it's not entirely unappealing. The Nara are an attractive bunch, to say the least. Sharp jawlines, tan skin and dark hair, the prowling grace of a stalking animal and sharp, narrow eyes lined with thick lashes. As lazy as they appeared to be, there was also something very wild about them, probably due to their connection with the forest and deer. Unfortunately, Toshiro wasn't really looking for an arranged marriage, nor was he certain that Shikaku was aware of his… preferences.
Still, a dark eyed Nara boy. Phew.
Toshiro knows they're being kind. Knows without a doubt that maybe if he hadn't fought for it, hadn't dropped a bunch of evidence about the problems of both the hospital and various systems around Konoha, they'd have stuck with what they knew. This is not to say they weren't intelligent enough to figure it all out themselves, but Toshiro also knows that the three Clan Heads aren't free from their own prejudice about the way Konoha is and the people inside it. Clans, by nature, seem to focus inward. Konoha looked fine on the outside, and their Compounds were flourishing on the inside, so there hadn't been a need to look too closely when they'd been brainwashed to think the current Konoha was the best they'd ever have.
Not that he'd mentioned his thoughts about the subtle and not-so-subtle conditioning academy students went through.
He's grateful. Because despite all that, the three men seemed to actively want the change Toshiro spoke of. All that ninja sneakiness, all that what's in it for me bluster and all those why waste my resources attitudes had vanished when assaulted by Toshiro's brutal honesty.
"Why not?" He'd said. "What do you gain from doing nothing, in comparison to what you gain from doing something?"
So you lose some money for a bit.
Is money worth more than the improved living conditions of your people? The success of the next generation? Toshiro realizes that he's lucky to be dealing with these three men first, because he knows the other members of the council will likely not react so kindly to his 'put your money where your mouth is' candor.
Back to the hospital — sections are shut down and renovated, a whole new floor is being constructed, more wings added once the approval to build on the surrounding land is approved. It's going to be months of work, and therefore a lot of emergency tents and spaces are set up outside the hospital while parts of it are off limits. They can't shut the whole building down at once, so they need to do it in pieces.
Toshiro can't wait.
No really, he can't. Now that the ball is rolling it's like he can't stop. He made his decision about who to approach next after the contracts with the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans had been signed.
The Uchiha.
Them saying no won't be harmful, not with the backing he has now, but Toshiro sees something of a kindred spirit in the Uchiha Clan. He isn't blind, after all. He sees how the population is pulling away from the clan, exacerbated by the Kyuubi Attack six years ago. They no doubt feel ostracized. Hurt. Unheard. Unseen.
So he goes to Uchiha Fugaku.
"How would you like to make a deal?" he says.
And it's the hardest thing he ever does, getting Fugaku to come around even a little. The Uchiha are a lot more bitter than Toshiro first assumed. They stare when he enters their Compound, they isolate themselves, brainwash each other with Uchiha-centric propaganda. Toshiro looks Uchiha Fugaku in the eye and tells him that Konoha is a village, not a group of awkward neighbors, and if he wants to pave the way for change he should start by winning over the people.
"Awfully presumptuous of you." Is Fugaku's response, and he looks at Toshiro with enough contempt to kill a lesser man.
"There is no leader without people." Is what he replies before finishing his cup of tea, "And it is people who make a home."
Toshiro's not entirely sure how much changes, but he visits Fugaku a total of five times within one month and somehow settles into a routine that feels like a mock trial.
Then Uchiha began to show up to the Medical Ninjutsu education courses.
When the hospital is finished with its updates exactly 10 months later, Toshiro speaks with Inoichi, Shikaku and Chouza about a proposition. Technically, as their money went into the hospital, it's them who should be responsible for the following celebration.
Toshiro thinks another option would be more beneficial in the long run.
("You're a force of nature, Toshiro-sensei." Shikaku hums, scrubbing a hand across his mouth to hide a grin. "What a pain.")
The Uchiha run the festival held in celebration for the freshly 're-opened' hospital. They man the stalls, decorate the streets, provide music and specialty vendors — the whole clan spills out to create an explosive event that sucks in civilians and shinobi alike, creating a night that's on the lips of hundreds for weeks after.
Two days after the festival, the Uchiha and Nara are tied in an alliance and focus their collaborative efforts on the Uchiha Police Force.
("The segregation is astounding." Shikaku mutters, pouring over a distressing amount of paperwork. "So's the method of organization. Who messed up this filing cabinet?"
Fugaku cycles through a range of very complex emotions because he never imagined being here, and having something like an ally to tell him and his clan that their pain is valid, and it's wrong to let it continue.)
The Nara are shortly followed by the Yamanaka and Akimichi, and suddenly the trio has turned into a quartet. Uchiha and Akimichi walk down the streets together, dark haired, willowy figures with pale skin and pretty faces, side by side with kind, cheery men and women thick with muscle and heft. Uchiha and Yamanaka argue over poisons and trade hair tips — seriously, Toshiro heard an exchange take place with his own ears, who knew Uchiha made their own bath products?
He doesn't see Inu. Or Kakashi.
"Sensei."
Toshiro looks up from his tea, chai spicy on his tongue. "Ah, Itachi-kun. How are you?"
The tea shop he's in is quiet, a mix of traditional and on-the-go. It's a popular hang out for shinobi, who frequently slip under the half-curtain and order little treats at the counter to take away. Mayuri's is his usual haunt — the one he constantly visits with Inoka, the workers knowing both their faces by now — but he'd decided to spice it up today and hit up one of the shops a little farther from the main street.
Itachi is a small boy for thirteen, though he moves with the grace of a seasoned shinobi. It's a bit like looking in a mirror, except Toshiro knows that Itachi is a one in a million kind of genius and certainly both stronger and smarter, past life be damned. It's humbling.
It also makes him feel awful that the kid has likely never known a relaxing day in his life.
Today, Itachi is accompanied by his brother, the very adorable Sasuke, who's turning eight next week. They're both dressed in classic Uchiha short-sleeves, wide collar and clan symbol embroidered on their backs.
"I'm well. I heard your birthday was a few weeks ago, I'm sorry for missing it." The boy shuffles, pulling a small gift from his pocket with one hand, the other commandeered by his little brother. Toshiro had received a range of gifts on his birthday from the four clans he'd entangled himself with, something about respect and alliances and all that drab, but he's sure they just wanted to see him get flustered under all the attention.
"Oh! I know you were away on a mission, Itachi-kun. I'm not offended. You didn't have to get me anything." Still, he reaches out to take the offered gift. It's a palm-sized box, thin and silver. He pulls the top off to reveal a pair of earrings. Studs, by the looks of it, little gems bright, cardinal red, as vivid as the red the Uchiha Clan prides itself on. Very obviously a statement.
A claim.
"This isn't some kind of proposal, is it?" He asks, just to be sure.
Itachi turns scarlet, and it's so shocking that Toshiro can only blink while Sasuke gapes and dissolves into childish laughter.
"N-No," the elder Uchiha boy says, clearing his throat. "It really is a gift. And a sign of our thanks."
Toshiro runs a finger over the pretty stones. He's never thought about piercing his ears before, but looking at these... "They're beautiful, thank you. But you really didn't have to. I don't need gifts, my loyalty is not material."
"I know." Itachi replies, an expression both serious and imploring on his young, stress-lined features. There's a wealth of unpacked emotion in the grim line of his mouth and rallying gleam of his dark eyes. "That's why I got them for you."
Toshiro shakes his head grins. How cute. "Well, I suppose I'll have to go get these put in, huh? You two wanna come?"
He goes home that night after spending the day trying to make Itachi smile, pulling equal amounts of laughter and grumpy frowns from Sasuke with his teasing. (Seriously, the kid is too cute!) Cardinal red earrings gleam against the soft flesh of his earlobes in the dim lamplight, the sting of the piercing having long since faded.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone