WAP 41

Fumiko was ready to talk when Aiko reached her house, simple notes on her low table. She had her hair tied up sensibly and her oversized kimono cover hanging casually off of her shoulders. The light coming in through the oil-paper window hit her in such a way that her dark hair shone faintly.

Aiko closed the sliding door behind her and pushed down the rise of nostalgia. Fumiko wasn’t her mentor, she was her acolyte. But something about her posture and confidence brought to mind Tsunade or Mei, back when they were polished figures she looked up to.

“Good morning, Aiko-sama. I trust that the girls passed on the updates to you?”

Aiko shook her head and then pulled her hair up over her shoulder. “No, we were unable to have any substantial discussion with Tobirama-san hanging around.”

Fumiko clicked her tongue. “Unfortunate. We are planning a larger festival for the fall harvest, and making danjiri.” 

She nodded, taking that in. “Are we hoping that this draws an audience?” Aiko adjusted to a comfortable seat on a large, flat cushion. “Or is this local?”

“We want to put on an event that people travel for, which means that I need you to start telling people about it.” Fumiko started ticking off points on her fingers. “I already told Mayumi-san and she promised some attendance, and a few traveling traders as well. We can start deliberating spreading the news more locally as well, but you range further than we do. I have volunteers who are willing to host guests.”

Aiko cocked her head to the side and considered the viability of putting up a simple guesthouse. Surely it wouldn’t be needed, would it? “Would it help if I made a simple timber building for excess guests?”

Fumiko snapped her fingers. “That could be very helpful. This isn’t a one-time event, it’s an investment.” She made eye contact for the first time, looking the slightest bit nervous. “I had the idea after what we did in that village, helping local roadside businesses. Why not bring that here?” Her fingers were trembling ever so slightly and her chin tilted up. “If this ninja city is established, we could be an important location. Perhaps some sort of forward posting location, as well as a center for trade and for entry.”

“I love the ambition.” Aiko watched the younger woman with a faint smile. “Yes, of course. I’ll support your plan. What do you need from me for this?”

“The most important thing by far is your attendance on the actual day.” Fumiko leaned forward. “The girls will put on a dance performance and serve amazake. I want you to bless the proceedings and promise good luck to the winners.” 

Aiko furrowed her brow. “Winners?” She tried to think back to festivals. “Don’t danjiri mostly parade around with drums and dancers and collect tithes?”

“It’s going to be a fighting festival.” Fumiko looked as pleased with herself as any cat. “Or a tug of war. I haven’t decided which.”

“Smash the danjiri together, but have a tug of war at the temple,” Aiko suggested. She rolled her eyes up in thought. “They’re often limited to men– I hate that. Have rounds for different groups, men, women, and mixed events. Hmm.” She rearranged her posture and frowned, trying to remember. “I don’t remember where, but I knew of a festival where a lucky item is thrown from a great height onto a raised dais where men fight for it.”

“I like that,” Fumiko agreed. She was taking furious notes. “We could do one major event per day.”

“That would really draw a crowd,” Aiko agreed. “Uh, can we feed that many guests?”

Fumiko let out an uncharacteristic snort. “We have more rice than the Daimyo’s estate,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “Thanks to you.” She didn’t seem to notice Aiko’s sniggers, finishing her writing with a flourish. “Ah, if we start getting confirmation of lots of guests, I think we may need more than one shelter.”

“I might tell the court to come,” Aiko mused. Her lips twitched. “Imagine that. If Modachi-sama brought his retinue…”

Fumiko fully lifted her head to look at Aiko. “Yes, do that,” she said. She blinked. “...Though I don’t know how well we can host them.”

“If they need amenities they can bring them.” Aiko flexed her feet under the table. “Is there anything else we need to talk about?”

“...Mayumi-san asked if we want to station one of her people her for protection while you travel,” Fumiko said after a moment’s thought. “I told her that we appreciated her generous offer and I would consult with you.”

“Oh, accept,” Aiko said gravely. “But you all have the talismans to notify me if there’s a problem, yes?”

“We have them,” Fumiko agreed. “Do you expect hostile visitors?”

Aiko snorted. “I expect Senju to come sneaking around,” she said dryly. “Furi-san and her family had a bit too much fun making sly references to all the samurai visitors during breakfast with Tobirama-san.”

Fumiko clicked her tongue again. “That woman,” she said. It was hard to tell if her tone was fond or disdainful. Perhaps it was a mix. “Fine. Thank you for the information. As for hostile actors?”

“Always a possibility,” Aiko admitted. “If so, probably an agent of the Hyuuga. Possibly someone hired by a dissatisfied Daimyo-hopeful. I have distanced myself from the political squabbling, but they are going to know that a village of civilians outside of compound walls is an easier target than the Senju or Uchiha themselves.”

Fumiko considered this information for a long moment. “Unimpressive,” she said. She shot Aiko an amused look. “I suspect they would be better served attacking the Senju.”

Aiko snorted. “They’re a bit soft,” she agreed. She gave a stretch. “I wish you could come with me again,” she said wistfully. “I’ll stop in and speak with Hana before I go. Have you heard from Shinji?”

“Only the once,” Fumiko admitted. “He said that the shrine was going well enough, and that the acolytes from the Senju are not difficult to work with.”

Aiko hummed. She’d sent only two of them out to the general country, to train with Priest Tarako. There was the priestess as well, the tremulously elderly lady. She would be able to train at least that many, and the young hands would be appreciated. “I want him to pick people to be sent to countryside locations,” she told Fumiko. “There’s an elderly priestess on the border of the Hyuuga territory who asked to convert to our denomination.”

“I understand.” Fumiko put her hands on the floor and bowed to mark the end of their discussion. “I will ask him to do so. Can you mark the location on a map for us?”

When she was done, the only errand left was to check in on Hana. Aiko stepped out into the cold air and blew out a steadying breath. She felt oddly nervous.