Wap ch 19 1000+ word preview

CHAPTER 19

Things felt less bright after Izuna went home. She laughed less and she couldn't relax. Izuna had acted like her social equal, and it had been refreshing.

'He's meant to die soon,' she reminded herself. It was not the first time. 'That's the famous dead brother that prompts the founding of Konoha. Maybe this upcoming battle is when he dies.'

It left a bad taste in her mouth. Was it really right to stay out of this? Was it necessary?

Aiko went about the next few days with the uncomfortable suspicion that she had done something wrong by not interfering immediately in the conflict between Izuna and the visiting Senju.

'If I'd gone after that rude woman, I could have cut this shit out before she got home to tell them the Uchiha needed to be cut down before they get too big.'

Honestly? Senju Toka was full of shit. Her accusations made some sense, but they weren't true. Aiko was more offended than she should be. The idea that what she did was for the political benefit of some group of handsome idiots was insulting. Like. Aiko, at the beck and call of the world's most twitchy boy band? Bullshit. It was bullshit, is what it was.

God. People would really think that, wouldn't they? Aiko: a tool of the Uchiha.

"They wish!" She huffed, pulling down the broom from the hook with a fearsome expression. She attacked the steps with more energy than usual, sweeping debris across the street. Her face was wrenched up into a scowl.

The three girls gave her sideways looks under their lashes, but they didn't comment about Aiko talking to herself. They were probably just relieved that she wasn't talking to them. They hadn't really warmed to her yet.

She couldn't just dwell in it. She was busy acclimating her new Miko trainees to life in the village. That meant going with her to visit the old, infirm, and otherwise needy residents. They climbed trees together to pick fruits. They also joined in the calligraphy classes with her adult students with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

'If I was going to stop them from fighting, how would I do that?'

At a guess, it was more important to pacify the Senju than the Uchiha. The Uchiha were just reacting to a declaration, not instigating.

"Fumiko-san," Aiko began, after a long period of silent thought. "Can you think of a way to stop the Senju from going to fight?" She asked. Then she paused and added, "Aside from killing or maiming them."

"Thank you for specifying," Fumiko said dryly. Her fingers twitched in her lap. The two of them were receiving a rather subpar practice tea service ceremony from Hana. "If you'll give me just a moment, I'm sure I'll come up with a solution for the centuries long feud between the two most powerful clans in the area."

Aiko waited for the requisite moment, just to be a dick. Then she cocked her head expectantly.

"I do not have a solution." Fumiko didn't break eye contact. "I think they're going to just have to die. Do you plan to kill them?"

"I don't think this is on the approved list of topics for tea ceremony," Hana said. She looked tense. She was frowning into the bowl where she was whisking froth.

"It's not any worse than letting the Senju and Uchiha fight, is it?" Aiko wondered. "I hate letting this happen, ostensibly in my name. It might be better to make the Senju admit that I'm an independent actor, not an Uchiha affiliate or pawn."

Fumiko's brow wrinkled. She didn't seem to have a response for that.

"Flowers," Hana said. "The weather. Art. Religion."

Aiko eyed her disciple from the corner of her eye. "Are you hushing me or making a suggestion?" She directed her eyes up at the rafters, thinking it over idly.

Oh.

"I would never be so impertinent as to hush you, Aiko-sama," Hana lied sweetly.

What did generals do before battles?

"I am merely listing topics, since the previous conversation has come to a stopping point."

They went to pray, Aiko answered herself. They went to a temple or shrine to get the gods' blessing.

"You're right," Aiko said absently. She huffed out a disbelieving little laugh. "That's the answer. That's how to stop this."

"...What?" Fumiko asked.

"I need to know where the Senju go to get blessings." Aiko stood up, mind churning through possibilities.

"Please sit," Hana snapped.

Aiko sat down.

After the tea ceremony was finished, she got started on that information gathering mission.

Her first instinct was that such a powerful clan would be patrons at an influential, famous shrine. She asked around the village. It might be common information. It was part of pre fight propaganda, after all. There was no point in going for the blessing if you weren't going to brag about the success you expected.

She was right, and she was wrong. People knew offhand that the Senju were connected to a tiny two-monk temple on the top of an isolated mountain.

Finding it should have been easy. It was actually a time-wasting nightmare. Most mountaintops were isolated. She spent a very frustrating day hiking.

When she finally bounded up the last incline and saw a temple on the top of that particular mountain, victory was so sweet that she could have cried. Beaming, Aiko walked under the gates and called ahead to announce her presence.

It was nearing dusk, so it must have been a surprise to the monks to hear a visitor. After nearly a full minute, a tremendously elderly man with a curious expression strode out to see her. As he walked up, the scent of his dinner wafted off of his simple robes.

"You roast boar?" Aiko asked, intrigued. "That smells incredible."

"With burdock," he agreed easily. He gave her a bow in greeting. "How may we help you?" His companion finally came into view at the partially open sliding door behind him.

"You can invite me to dinner," Aiko suggested, interested in that boar. "And you can tell the Senju that if they fight the Uchiha this time they're going to suffer unprecedented misfortune."

He barely blinked. "Come in to our table, priestess." He smiled, just a sly little bit. "You can use the time to elaborate on why I ought to say such a thing."