14 First Order

The rain finally stopped, and the dark clouds were swept away on the wind.

The chaos at Hozuki Castle began to settle, for the moment at least. The fires inside the castle were extinguished, and the prisoners who continued to try to escape with admirable persistence were gradually rounded up by the Anbu.

The wind gusted through the dry winter field, and the ninja of Konoha cautiously, carefully surrounded the remains of the Tobishachimaru, now on its side on the ground.

The air bladder envelope had been completely burned away. The skeletal frame supporting it had been smashed and scattered in the impact of the landing. Wood chips scattered and fell whenever a gust blew through the passenger gondola, which looked as though it had been ripped apart by a giant hand.

When the first human figure staggered out from the broken side, Tsunade’s roar echoed across the plain. “Put both hands up and come out slowly!”

Taking that as their signal, Kiba, Choji, Shino, Lee, and Tenten carefully approached the ship. They couldn’t say with certainty that the enemy wasn’t mixed in with the passengers.

Sai was standing by in the sky above.

“Are you all right?” Sakura alone raced around among the passengers to check if they had sustained any injuries. “Is anyone injured?”

One after another, exhausted and haggard, the passengers came out of the ship. Many of them looked up at the sky in amazement, walking slowly, as if confirming that they were no longer trapped in that deadly sky with every step they took. Some of them collapsed the moment they set foot on solid ground.

When Tsunade nodded, the shinobi wrapped the passengers in blankets and gave them water. Sakura went around to treat those people who had broken bones or who were bleeding after the fall.

“Don’t move!” Tsunade’s eyes were squarely upon Kahyo. The ninja of Konoha immediately took up battle postures.

But Kahyo simply stood silently, motionless next to the damaged ship. Her large, bewildered eyes seemed to be searching for something as the wind played with her long, curly hair.

“You are Kahyo of the Ryuha Armed Alliance?”

Named by Tsunade, Kahyo nodded slightly.

“Do any of your comrades remain on board the ship?”

Kahyo slowly shook her head. No one could say whether that was an answer to Tsunade’s question, whether it meant she didn’t know, or if she was giving up and saying that none of that mattered anymore.

“You’ve done something quite outrageous. Because of you and your group, trust in Konoha has plummeted.”

Kahyo maintained her silence.

“The Land of Waves has also completely abandoned the development of airships,” Tsunade said, a barely contained hiss. “Did you think you could simply walk away from this?”

A gleam rose up in Kahyo’s eyes, a readiness to fight, and she nodded.

“Get her out of here!” Tsunade waved an arm and loosed her command. “Seize her and lock her up in prison until we get answers!”

“Please wait a moment, Lady Tsunade.”

At the sound of this voice, Tsunade and all the other shinobi turned around together. An expression mixing surprise and relief colored Kahyo’s face red.

There, leaning heavily on Shikamaru’s shoulder, was Kakashi.

“Kakashi!” Tsunade cried. “Are you all right?”

“Lady Tsunade.” He pulled himself away from Shikamaru and stood upright. “She—will you leave dealing with Kahyo to me, please?”

“What?”

Tsunade met his eyes briefly. “Do you have an idea?”

But rather than replying, Kakashi turned to face Kahyo. A breeze blew between them, kicking up an indescribable bittersweet sadness in him.

“Until just a minute ago, we were up there, huh?” he said, turning his head back up to the open and infinite sky. From between the remaining clouds painting the sky, a weak light had begun to shine through. “It’s amazing we made it out alive.” He brought his gaze back to Kahyo. “But not everyone was as lucky as we are.”

Kahyo lowered her eyes.

“Eighteen of the fifty-seven passengers are dead,” Kakashi continued. “And your comrades as well, other than you and the pair I locked up in the pantry, they’re all dead. Do you have anything to say about that?”

Kahyo bit her lip and shook her head.

“Kahyo.”

“…Yes.”

“I’ll announce your punishment, then. As a ringleader in the attack on Tobishachimaru, you—”

“Er.” A voice from behind interrupted Kakashi. “Can I say something?”

When he looked back, a woman was standing there holding a child’s hand. He narrowed his eyes.

“I…I’m the one you saved then.” The woman bowed her head at Kahyo. “You released myself and my son, who was having an asthma attack, from that ship. Thanks to you, he was able to recover from the attack. I don’t forgive you and your group for what you have done.” She glanced over at Kakashi. “But I wanted to at least say a word of thanks. Thank you, thank you so much.”

Kahyo lowered her eyes; her face was twisted in anguish.

The boy, now quite well, let go of his mother’s hand and started running. Racing over to Kahyo, he looked up at her and smiled. “Thanks, Auntie.”

Surprise flitted across her face.

“I was really scared.” And then he added suddenly in a small voice, “But…it was kinda fun too.”

As she watched the boy jog back over to his mother, Kahyo’s eyes filled with tears.

“Kahyo,” Kakashi called. “As the ringleader of the attack on Tobishachimaru, you must die. So many were sacrificed. This is the only fitting punishment.”

“…Yes.” Kahyo’s voice was shaking, but it held a note of readiness to accept whatever came at her. “I humbly accept…any punishment.”

“However, if you can prove that you are a person who could be useful to the five great ninja nations, I will reduce the sentence you face and make it life in prison.”

“…What do you mean?”

“From where I sit, your Earth Chain Ice looks pretty useful.”

She stared at him.

“What are you talking about, Kakashi?” Tsunade. “What on earth could you use her ninjutsu for?”

“Lady Tsunade.” Kakashi looked over at her. “When it is cast on ordinary people, her Earth Chain Ice freezes them instantly. But ninja who can mold chakra can send that chakra around their bodies to generate heat and prevent their bodies from freezing. So if you’re hit with Earth Chain Ice, you have to always be molding your chakra. In other words, the prisoners wouldn’t be able to use it to escape. What do you think? Right now, there’s no castle master at Hozuki Castle really guarding the prisoners. I think she’s ideally suited to the role.”

“I see.” It was Shikamaru who replied. “The previous master Mui did use his Celestial Prison to ensure that prisoners would spontaneously combust if they molded their chakra. This woman’s Earth Chain Ice would be as effective, but in the opposite way. Lady Tsunade, I think she might work. All the villages are exhausted from the Fourth Great Ninja War. Labor is short everywhere, so if we released everyone from this infinitely tiresome job of supervising the prison, maybe the esteem Konoha is held in would rise. And it would make a good example.”

“Example?” Tsunade said. “What sort of example?”

“Well, it’s the ultimate justice for Garyo. You know how he advocates controlling personal freedom?” Shikamaru shrugged lightly. “In that case, we’ll just have this woman who believed in his way of thinking being in control of his freedom.”

Tsunade carefully thought the idea through before nodding slightly. “I leave this matter to you, Kakashi.”

“Thank you, Lady Tsunade.”

“But do the inauguration ceremony.”

He stared down at his feet.

“This is your first job as the sixth Hokage.” Tsunade grinned. “You can’t possibly intend to refuse?”

Kakashi met her eyes squarely and nodded firmly. He then turned back to Kahyo.

“You said on the ship that the side with power is always the side that’s right. If you become the master of Hozuki Castle, you’ll be the one who’s right. Show me your justice.”

She merely looked at him, stunned.

“You will do it, right?”

“…Yes.” Tears streamed from Kahyo’s eyes. Hot tears that most certainly did not turn to ice as they rolled down her cheeks. “Th-thank you… Thank you…”

“Well then, I declare it as the sixth Hokage.” His voice rang out. “Kahyo, you are now in custody of Hozuki Castle. The term is indefinite. At the same time as you reflect on your own actions, you will supervise the prisoners and work each day to ensure that not a single one escapes!”

Tsunade nodded, while the ninja looked at their new Hokage with pride.

“I’m not worried.” Kakashi’s gaze softened abruptly. “You are someone who understands the pain of others.”

“I will devote myself…to meeting your expectations.” Kahyo wiped away her tears. “If I can be of some use to you, Lord Kakashi…I will do whatever I can.”

“Kakashi.” Tsunade slipped a haori coat over his shoulders. “Mm, looks very good on you.”

Kakashi twisted his neck to look at his own back.

Sixth Hokage

He pulled the profoundly weighty haori shut. Behind him, gentle smiles popped up on the faces of his fellow villagers.

A soft breeze blew through the burnt-out husk of the Tobishachimaru.