The Yuki clan compound sat westward of the Central District. It was an island of its own, glittered with spectacle of ice statues, a partly frozen body of water and an inch or three of snow in particular corners.
Being an island amidst a city navigating to and from it required a canoe or a basic understanding of water walking even though some of the water you'd canoe through is frozen. The Yuki were innovative enough though and the practical, appropriate thing to do was manoeuvre via their special canoes.
In truth I doubted there was anything special about them save the reinforced hull and heavy top that broke through slabs of ice to sail the waters beneath. The experience was comforting though. The canoe was tented and private. It was cold but not too cold and the ice seemed to grow on its own, creating and entrapping the livestock that dared to remain even as our canoe broke them free.
In my first month in Kirigakure, before I became Mizukage, I'd spied several boatmen sailing through the icy crags with passengers that couldn't be anything but lovers under the soft orange glaze of the lanterns the boatmen affixed at the end of the canoe.
That night I felt envy and loss, as did Yagura. He sported one memory of sailing the frozen waters in a time before his potential was ever learned. The memory was a treasured one because I didn't look away from the clutch of lovers enjoying their date and Yagura and my collective envy grew when the boatmen set their passengers to enjoy the snow and attempt dancing on ice.
Now he felt nothing or rather I felt nothing from him, no input, no thought, no glimpse of the past. Nothing save the tension carried in the air from Uncle's presence.
It wasn't so much his presence as it was the meaning behind it. He wasn't here as the Yagura's Uncle, he was here as the Mizukage's advisor, a member of the small council and a representative of Kirigakure's central host of power.
He sat beside me with just as tense a posture as I felt— he wouldn't let his thoughts or emotions play out on his face but Yagura knew his Uncle well. I thought about saying something, but there wasn't much left to say that I haven't already.
Like Ao who sat by the boatman he knew all the details of the Yuki clan and the Yūki clan growing within them. He didn't give me any advice on what to do or not this time, he simply accepted when I asked him to accompany me to pay Hidaki Yuki a surprise visit. I took that as approval of my actions.
Well, he couldn't not, I'd taken every precaution including this pretence of a boat ride. In truth, the Yuki clan was already surrounded on every corner by my ANBU forces, both Hidaki and the parasitic Yūki clan feasting on him would have their eyes glued to the Mizukage, his bodyguard and advisor approaching the clan compound via their boatmen.
They'd have some sliver of time to prepare but not anymore that I have with my ANBU. Each squad has orders to identify and tail any Yuki clan member leaving the compound after I've arrived— just in case they truly belong to Yūki and they've stashed the horde of weapons they ordered from Kosuke somewhere aside from the compound itself.
They were also on the lookout for Shizu Yuki, Hisako's mentor or should I say handler? The true extent of their organization isn't known but today's meeting should clear it all up and end it all.
"We're here." Uncle said with a terse breath as he stood shakily in the canoe.
I waited for the boatman to sail into port before standing and crossing onto the boardwalk which was surprisingly dry given the environment. A couple yards away I caught a glimpse of Hidaki and two men making their way through the main gates and into the large snow landscape that Uncle and I wad through.
We met halfway and Hidaki and the two men bowed with smiles that failed to mirror their clan head's wide grin, "Mizukage-sama, what an unexpected pleasure! Welcome to our humble abode, welcome to the Yuki clan!"
His eyes darted up to Uncle who had merely stared through each of the Yuki clan members without a drop of his usual enthusiasm leaking out and his mirthful grin faltered.
"Thank you, it's good to be here at last, I can't recall the last time I visited." I said, offering his cheer a polite smile as my eyes moved onto the young men behind him. One was the spitting image of Hidaki and a scar slicing down the side of his lip.
The other didn't share any of the same features but stood taller than both clan head and who I assumed was his son. The man noticed me staring and gulped.
Hidaki smiled and smacked their backs proudly, "Ahh, this is my son, Okumura and his best friend, Kishi and one of our greatest treasures! It's fortunate they're both around to meet you, Mizukage-sama."
My smile grew but didn't reach my eyes, "I see, I will remember their names but today I've come to meet you, come, there is much we must discuss."
He and his son shared a look and though brief, Yagura picked out the flash of concern Hidaki buried away as I started walking past. The gates swung open and revealed the clan compound within.
The long road only had snow on the sides or lined around ponds. Uncle's hum broke the silence that'd begun to grow as we passed by a scanty playground. The lot for it was sizeable and well fitted with swings, monkey bars, a tap and table of balloon, even a sitting area that headed a small kiosk where parents gathered their children with a lure of sweets.
Jason didn't miss the look in their eyes, the attempted whisperings and hushed fears stifled by respect— obligatory respect. Whether because I am a Jinchuriki or the because they know their sins as part of the Yūki clan, these people were terrified of my presence here.
They clutched their children close, vacated the roads, shuttered their windows and bolted their doors. Jason stomached the fear and I tried not to let it disturb me. Fear begets fear.
It was a short walk to Hidaki's home but under the intense, fevered vibes of the Yuki clan members it felt like I'd been walking longer than we sailed. I wondered how Uncle or Ao felt but both hid their expressions behind masks of indifference and seriousness.
The doors slid open and shut as we walked it, there was a table with a coal furnace centre and a blanket to tuck our legs under but that wasn't the mood of this particular meeting and Hidaki could tell. Instead he led us into another room with a three seater couch, fireplace and wooden dinner chairs around a table with a single lit candle.
With the door shut behind him Hidaki nervously examined the room and us with a smile that faltered each passing second of silence. He broke the stewing tension with a forced cackle, "Ahahah, I'm outnumbered here, feels like I should have at least one person on my side."
He'd done the right thing asking his eager son and prodigy to wait outside but there should be someone at his side. I pulled a wooden chair out and sat perpendicular to the fireplace, letting its heat bring life to my hands as I breathed out a sigh and rested my hat on the dinner table.
"You're right, Hidaki, there should be someone at your side. Ask your son to summon Chuunin Shizu Yuki, this meeting concerns her more than you."
Recognition flashed across his face at the name, he hesitated, questions filled his tongue but he didn't voice one, "Okumura!" the boy spilled into the room at attention, eager to serve his part. "Find Shizu, bring her here please."
The boy didn't even blink as he zipped back out to carry the order. I nodded gratefully at Hidaki and he fixed me with a narrowed look of suspicion, "Mizukage-sama…I was hoping this would be about what we discussed in the hospital but…what is this about?"
His eyes darted over to Uncle who pulled a chair out for himself and sat at the dinner table, watching Hidaki take up the space on the three seater, "This is about your clan, Hidaki and what Kirigakure must do about it."
Hidaki's eyes flared with anger he hesitated to conceal behind another pleasant smile, "Whatever offence Shizu has wroth the Karatachi I'm sure we can come to an understanding."
"An understanding is exactly the outcome I'm hoping for, Yuki-dono, believe it or not, I am keen to see you unscathed." I said and he made to question but shut up as I kept speaking, "The Karatachi clan are not the ones offended though, at least, not that we know of yet. That's why we need Shizu here, to find out just how much we're accounting for."
Riddled with anxiety Hidaki discards his pleasant façade and demanded, "What is this? What has she done to warrant this menace? What excuse will the council use to press my neck now?" There was a growl in his voice as his fists clenched white.
Ao silently placed a kunai and paperbomb on the small table in front of Hidaki. Confusion wracked his features but when he examined the paperbomb his eyes widened in horror.
Uncle knocked on wood to grab his attention as he shook his head, "Hidaki, we've known each other for decades. Listen to me now as you have in the past, do not fight us. Shizu, Hisako and others within your clan are working against Kirigakure. They will be punished."
"They did not do this. My…Shizu is…Hisako doesn't even-"
"Hisako was used by Shizu to fashion and deliver the threats on behalf of an organization within your clan calling themselves…the Yūki." Again, recognition flashed in his eyes and Yagura knew, "You already know about them, don't you? Ha, silly me, I thought you a fool but I see you're just stubborn. You realize this Yūki clan of yours could have had something to do with the Kaguya attacks, with how they found Kirigakure? Do you realize the-"
"Yes! I do…I understand them better than you would, Mizukage." Not a shred of respect on the title. He sunk into the couch and his eyes glazed towards to the ceiling, "But you…you..what would you know about…of our suffering!? You're ignorant! I disagree with them, what they want to do but they're right! I can't blame them for seeking reparations for all this watery hellscape has taken from us!"
A frown marred my face as I watched him scream nonsense at the ceiling, "There is no justification I will accept, Hidaki. If you or any other want change then you work with me, I am your Mizukage, you are my subject. However much I sympathise with the Yuki clan's plight scarred history I will not deny justice be done for the crimes we've uncovered. Terrorism on this scale will never be ignored, if it happened to your family, I would do the same as I do now."
Hidaki dropped his gaze on me, seethed anger boiled behind his eyes as he grinded his teeth, "And what justice will you bring, Mizukage?"
I said nothing and glanced at Uncle who announced, "The council has decided to be lenient thanks to Mizukage-sama personal involvement in the investigation of this crime. The charges against the Yūki clan are terrorism, conspiracy to commit infanticide, conspiracy to commit genocide against a fellow vassal clan and the charge that is still being debated…the murder of the Third Mizukage."
The colour had drained from Hidaki's face as Uncle Aoto continued to list charges, his lower lip trembled and the anger he had was washed away in the face of the accusations against members of his already dying clan.
"If you cooperate with us and expose those assigning themselves to this Yūki rebellion, only Shizu will have to die and Hisako will be taken by the Funato clan as a gilded prisoner. She will be cared for."