Chapter Text
He stares out of the window of the hokage tower; it has been five years now. His inauguration was unexpected but not unwanted at that moment. Now he wishes he’d had his priorities straight. Sure, being able to set right all wrongs in Konoha had seemed to be an amazing plan. But now he had the power, he suddenly wasn’t so sure about these changes. Exclaiming what would have to change in their society was much easier when he was just a spectator, a part of that society. Now, as the leader of his people he has to think about so much more. And things that had once seemed to be easy to change suddenly were complicated.
He had stopped trying after two months, and now just tried to lead them so that the least people would get hurt. The council had too much power, and too many wrong ideas. But he’d stopped caring. Just sign the papers and assign missions, day in day out. Visit the academy, visit the hospital, visit the construction works etc. It was clear to him now, the mighty title of Hokage, he had once looked upon was not much more that an honorary title. The real power lay by the council.
He wished He was here, He would know what to do. And His ideals would not yield for a bunch of senior citizen.
“Hokage, sir” Shikamaru came in. His adviser, a real strategic genius, it had helped them to win the war. But after the war? The hokage didn’t know how to use his genius. And his adviser himself hadn’t seemed to be interested in changing things. Shikamaru just wanted peace and quiet and being able to stare at the clouds and play shogi. He wasn’t interested in overthrowing the council or changing the way things go in Konoha, as that would only bring turmoil and chaos. And the hokage didn’t know how he could inspire him to use his genius. The hokage didn’t know at all how to inspire anyone, he’d never needed it, his natural charisma had always been enough.
He would have known how to motivate the people around him, He always had been able to light that spark in just anyone. The hokage wished He was here, but He wasn’t. He had disappeared shortly after their fight. When Sakura had caught up to them only he was left there, in the valley of the end. Countless search parties had been sent out, just as much parties had returned without any leads.
“Another group has come back” The hokage didn’t dare to hope, but couldn’t help the anticipation with which he turned around to face the head of the Nara clan.
His advisor looked apologetic. “Sorry sir, again there is no sign of him”
“Very well” the hokage said. Not liking what he had to say next, but he knew it would be unproductive to continue the search. Seven years without so much as a squeak from Him. “Don’t sent out another party.”
His advisors eyes widened “Sir?”
“You heard me right. There has been no progress for the last seven years; we shouldn’t waste resources on a senseless search.”
The Nara bowed his head in recognition of the decision and left, but the hokage didn’t miss the look of reluctance on his face.
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Ikamuzu Rutoan pulled a root out of the ground and put it in a barrel. This action was repeated many more times. The sun was burning on his back and sweat was dripping down his body, his clothes were soaked. But the man didn’t seem to care. He kept working until sunset. At that moment he was called by an elderly woman standing in the door opening of a small house. He lifted the barrel on his back and made his way through the field towards the house.
He put left his muddy boots by the door and put the barrel in the pantry. “That smells good Tamea” The elder woman huffed but smiled warmly “You say that every meal” Rutoan grinned “And it is the truth every time”
He sat down next to the thirteen year old girl that was silently looking everywhere but at him. “Hello to you too, Tami” he said to her and the tiny nod she gave in acknowledgment almost went by him. “How was your day?”
“It was good” the girl answered him
“There was a bug in my room, but I didn’t freak out. I got a glass and a paper and moved him out”
Rutoan smiled proudly and praised her full enthusiasm.
The elderly woman watched the exchange with affection. Her granddaughter had been terrified of bugs ever since their encounter with that giant centipede. But now it seemed that her phobia had been cured. All thanks to the man that was now sitting in front of her. Eating from the small meal she had cooked. He would leave soon, breaking the routine they had built the last three weeks. She would leave too, together with her granddaughter. Back to Konoha.
“Tamea, the last harvest here has been done. I will leave soon.” Rutoan woke her from her contemplations. “What will you do?”
She had shared her concern about living alone in the small house with her granddaughter. They had talked about returning to Konoha. But she had been hesitant since the frightening experience when Pein had attacked. She had started to doubt the safety of living in a village, as it seemed to attract trouble. But the years of living in the forest with her granddaughter were getting to her; she doubted she would be able to provide for Tami and herself much longer.
“I want to go back” she answered him “But I doubt the two of us could undertake the journey alone.” She didn’t want to ask this from him, but the knowledge that the welfare of her granddaughter was at stake made her desperate enough.
He seemed to consider it for a bit, he didn’t want to return to Konoha, hadn’t planned on it. But he acknowledged that the pair wouldn’t be able to undertake this trip on their own.
“I will escort you then.” He said “We will start packing tomorrow and see when we are ready.”
The woman let out a breath of relieve. “Thank you, thank you so much”