Kage Level Demands

"No." 

"What did you say?"

I cleared my throat and repeated myself. "No."

The room was a battlefield of tension, with sunlight streaming through thin curtains, ignoring their battle worn fabric to bathe the sterile recovery room in an almost serene glow. The walls were bleach-white, the floor antiseptically clean, but the air hung heavy with the sterile scent of alcohol and tragedy. Beyond the door, the muffled cacophony of a hospital in turmoil lingered, punctuated by distant cries of despair as multitudes processed their loss.

Standing in this starkly peaceful setting were two living legends—and one cockroach of a shinobi—confronting me. Ao, loyal and unyielding, positioned himself as a shield before me, his stance firm, yet devoid of weapons besides his lethal Byakugan. For now, at least, courtesy stayed his hand.

"Step aside, thief," the cockroach sneered, the hypocrite.

Ao's courage, as immense as it was, bordered on foolishness. Against Danzo, the weakest of the trio, he might hold for a moment, but against those two? No chance.

I stretched with a yawn, the crisp white sheets falling away to reveal limbs wrapped tightly in bandages. My forearms and calves throbbed faintly under the layers.

As I swung my legs over the side of the bed, the polished floor sent a cold jolt through my feet. The bandages constrained my movements, a constant reminder of my battered chakra network. "Don't remove them," the doctors had warned, overworked and overwhelmed, tending prime medical care to an uninvited foreign Kage in the midst of a disaster was the least of their concerns. Respectable, would have made the same call.

I glanced up at Hiruzen, Jiraiya stood behind him, his eyes watching my every move with more seriousness than I'd want to see in the Toad Sannin, "Calm your old horse, Sarutobi, I am here and I can hear your demands and questions."

"And yet you won't answer them." Hiruzen said with an edge of building frustration, I could somewhat sympathize, his village was attacked and here I was denying him answers, "Why?"

I shifted my gaze to Jiraiya, his brows were furrowed and his eyes held an impatience to them, I smiled and hopped off to stand. 

"Mizukage-sama, you-!" Ao hurried to help me as I winced from placing weight on my legs. I couldn't recall the breaks, but being shrouded in Tailed Beast chakra dulled such details. Convenient as that was, it didn't erase the damage or its consequences. 

The doctors here originally wanted me in a cast or at least on crutches but there were far too many demands for the same treatment and so I declined, settling for the bandages I presumed had special properties. I waved Ao away, "I'm fine, I can do this much for our gracious hosts."

Hiruzen pursed his lips at that, given his initial reaction to my presence, I wondered if he still believed I was out to steal the Nine-Tails. Either way, I can't blame him, I wouldn't be very excited to have him as an unexpected guest back home. They confiscated my weapons pouch and I could sense at least three squads of ANBU crawling around, along with the two Jounin guards stationed outside my door. Whatever Hiruzen thought of me, he wasn't taking any chances.

Three pairs of eyes pinned me. Hiruzen's sharp gaze, aged yet calculating, lingered the longest, while Jiraiya's expression betrayed impatience, his brow furrowed in restrained frustration. Danzo? The cockroach watched with cold calculation, his single visible eye narrowing, lips a thin line of disapproval.

This was far from how I envisioned I'd meet any of them. Weakened and quite literally backed into a corner. But power wasn't simply in the chakra that flowed through me, it was in the title I bore as Mizukage. I'm deep in frenemy territory but there's no reason to be afraid, they can't touch me. 

I took a deep breath and directed my answer to Hiruzen, "My name is Yagura Karatachi, I am the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure and I will only answer the questions of the Hokage."

Confusion was rampant for a split second before Danzo's lips thinned into a line of thought, he glanced over at Hiruzen and caught his eyes, the two veterans thinking the same thing now.

Jiraiya didn't care, he smacked Hiruzen's back lightly and spoke without taking his eyes off me, "There is one right here, his face is engraved as part of our monument and everything. Answer his questions, now."

I rolled my eyes, "I will not be threatened, subtly or otherwise, Jiraiya of the Sannin. Your village is leaderless and thus unpredictable. Minato Namikaze and I made each other promises, promises that may as well be dust in the wind now. I will not speak until there is a Hokage to speak to."

"Mizukage-dono," Hiruzen spoke, his tone carefully measured. "You can trust my word as you trusted Minato's. I am his predecessor, and in this tragedy, I intend to restore—"

Danzo's cane struck the floor with an audible thud, his sharp interruption cutting through the room like a blade. "Do you know who the Masked Man is?"

His words drew my gaze, but I didn't respond. The cockroach leaned forward, seizing the silence to fire off another question. "Why did he attack you first? Minato reported the incident at Tea Country to Hiruzen, we know he went after you first, Mizukage."

I shrugged and Danzo bolted another question, "Is Uchiha Madara alive?" The name struck a nerve, a barely perceptible reaction that Danzo did not miss. His lips curved into a smug smirk, satisfied with the crack in my composure, "I see…does he have other Uchiha accomplices?"

"Enough." I turned to Ao, my tone sharp with authority. "Gather my things. We've exhausted our host's hospitality."

Ao hesitated only a moment before nodding, moving quickly to pack the sparse belongings they'd allowed us to keep.

"Mizukage-dono," Hiruzen's voice softened, though the steel within it remained. "You are barely recovered. There's no need to leave so soon."

I snorted, dismissing his concern with a wave of my hand. "Don't worry, Sarutobi, I won't let the world know Konoha is on its knees right now, that isn't in my interest. However, I am owed for my…selfless efforts." 

"And what are your interests?" Jiraiya's voice was low, probing, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "Why did you help us, Mizukage?"

His question hung in the air, laden with unspoken theories. I answered as Ao draped my blue cloak over my shoulders, its weight grounding me. "Minato and I made a deal. After the Masked Man attacked me, I had…a feeling. I trusted that feeling, and I'm glad I did. Kushina and Naruto might not be alive otherwise." 

Jiraiya's jaw tightened, a flicker of guilt passing through his features. "If I'd been there, Minato wouldn't have died at all."

"But you weren't and so he is." I countered, voice steady with truth, "I wish I could've saved him too, perhaps I could have but the Nine-Tails is not a Bijuu I am familiar with. I trusted his actions were the right ones."

"We're ready, Yagura-sama." Ao said, having packed up everything they let us keep. "All that's left are your weapons."

"Yes, that and what Minato promised me, since he's dead now and I've done quite a service protecting Konoha, I'll take it now rather than later." I said, my eyes held onto Hiruzen's expectantly.

The old man regarded me suspiciously, "Hrnn, I see, and what is it he promised exactly?"

Danzo twitched, "He is not to make demands of us, Hiruzen." His single eye glowered at me, "Throwing around supposed promises, grey truths at most. Minato is the only one that knows what all they spoke about, he's the only one we trust and now he's gone. We cannot rely on the Mizukage's word."

I couldn't help but point out immediately, "And yet you wish that I answer your questions, who is the masked man? Is Madara alive? Why was Konoha attacked?" I snorted as I shook my head at them, "All those questions, how much do they matter in the face of what has happened? I knew this and so did Minato, the enemy has revealed themselves, delivered on his threats. After all this, are you still meant to be looking at me?"

"Minato and I promised we'd work in tandem, a joint force between our villages to investigate, intercept and end this threat. We also promised trade but that wasn't to happen for sometime, however, I'll have to demand the Shadow Clone Jutsu Hiruzen, this much is reasonable, don't you think?"

Danzo didn't bother hiding how deeply he disagreed, "Do not give it, Hiruzen. An A-rank Kinjutsu for free? No!"

"Free?" I scoffed, "What will you do, Hiruzen? I will leave with or without it but don't think for a second that difference won't matter." I kept my face plain and unfazed. Konoha being difficult at this stage, in these circumstances was understandable, easy to forgive. However, I represented a nation as great as theirs and would either leave with what I asked for or they would push away their first and only ally in this pandemonium.

Hiruzen gave no reaction, the veteran god of shinobi held my gaze, not bothering with Danzo's spittle launching demands. His analytical grey eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he inhaled, "Mizukage-dono…just how far have you planned?"

The question caught me off guard, I blinked and searched for an appropriate answer but Hiruzen had already decided, "Very well, if that is what you wish, I will thank you to consider our indebtedness to you paid."

"Hiruzen!"

"I agree," Jiraiya said, coming in support against Danzo who looked about ready to commit genocide, his cane arm trembled as he looked between all of us, no doubt feeling cornered. "I don't like the taste of owing the Blood Mist."

I threw a glare at the Sannin and corrected, "The Blood Mist is over."

Jiraiya shrugged, "I suppose Minato wouldn't trust someone who would keep it alive. That said, I don't trust you one bit, Mizukage, refusing our questions now will only lead to more confusion and loss. If you really want to help you should be open and honest."

"And I will be, with the duly appointed Hokage." I said with a smile, "Now then, if that's all I'd better start heading out now, my things?"

Hiruzen opened his mouth to speak but Jiraiya stepped forward, a small smile forming on his otherwise grief filled features, "I'll escort you out, Mizukage-dono, we'll stop by Kushina's first, I'm sure she'll want to see you before you leave."

I squashed any outward reaction to that and simply nodded, letting Jiraiya lead the way, "Fine by me, I'll be seeing you then, Third Hokage, Danzo." I gave the two veterans a curt nod as I walked by.

Hiruzen returned the nod and said while Danzo glared at him, "I will arrange for you to receive your compensation, thank you, Mizukage and goodbye."