Pakin closed the door behind him and pulled his shoes off, slipping on his house shoes and dragging himself over to the couch in the living room. He plopped down into the plush cushions and grunted as he sank deep into the soft padding.

  The rest of the walk back to the apartment had been an almost completely one-sided conversation with Kechizu. He’d done his best to listen and be attentive to his escort, but as she droned on and on about her partner's effusive good qualities, Pakin found himself paying more attention to their surroundings.

  He spotted more buildings with clan names or symbols marking them. The river probably served as a great means of transporting cargo throughout the city, which explained the numerous warehouses taking up space along the water. Most, if not all, of the major warehouses were owned by some clan or another, and Pakin counted at least fifteen distinct clan names and symbols on his walk.

  These clans seem like a pretty big deal if they own so much real estate. It made him wonder how much of the city’s economy was propped up by the business ventures of these powerful families. It plucked at some of his memories of his old life, memories of large corporations and the political sway they had over the government. If these clans were similar, that would be bad news, especially if they each had their own group of super shinobi trained by and loyal to them.

  I wonder what the political situation is like here. If I’m already seeing similarities to my old life, I’m worried that things will be a little too similar here. Still, I haven’t seen, like, rampant levels of homelessness or poverty since getting to Kumo. There were some obvious divides in the towns we passed through, but nothing too grievous. Now that Pakin had a moment to think about it, he was honestly surprised. Then again, just like people had kept him from the red light district in Yoshiwara, maybe something similar was happening here.

  “Ah, young Pakin. You’ve returned. How was your dinner with Gera’s master? I find Toshi to be a pleasant man, but his partner is rather chatty for my tastes.”Kintaro called down to Pakin.

  “Hello, Mr.Kintaro! It was very pleasant, Master Toshi is really cool, and he promised to help me with my training.” Pakin giggled to himself as he considered Kintaro’s comment, and replied, “I understand what you mean about Auntie Kechizu. I guess without a mouth you can talk as long as you like without getting tired.”

  Kintaro let out his strange echoing squawk/chuckle. “Oh, that’s rich! You’re certainly correct on that assumption, young Pakin.”

  Pakin shared a laugh with Kintaro and lapsed into silence for a moment.

  Oh, Mr.Kintaro is smart, and he’s been around a while. It wouldn’t hurt to ask him about this stuff.

  “Mr. Kintaro, do you know much about the politics of Kumo? Or, like, the socioeconomics?”

  Kintaro made a trilling coo and replied, “I know a thing or two. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that Gera has failed to illuminate the intricacies of your new home to you. An inquisitive young mind like yours must be nurtured, not pressed into a fine paste by endless exercise!”

  “She’s not that bad, Mr. Kintaro.” Pakin replied defensively.

  “Forgive me, young Pakin. It’s in poor taste to speak ill of someone’s teacher. Your physical abilities are certainly a valuable focus, I merely wish Gera would put more focus on the pursuits of the mind.” Kintaro sighed in defeat and apologized, “However, it does take a flock to raise a chick. So, I shall elucidate you.”

  Pakin nodded gratefully at the large bird above him, and watched as he shrank and flew down to join Pakin on the couch.

  Oof, Gera’s gonna be pissed. She hates it when he gets his claw marks on the furniture. Pakin held his tongue, more interested in learning than maintaining the couch's integrity.

  “Well, let’s see.” Kintaro clenched and unclenched his claws into the cushion, like a cat making biscuits. Then he sat down and asked, “What specifically would you like to know? There are quite a lot of facets to the way Kumo functions.”

  “How do the clans play into the power structures here? I know the basic government structure, with the Raikage, his partner, and his council. However, where do the clans fit in? They seem important, but I’m not sure how specifically.” Pakin wondered if his theory was correct, that they functioned like corporations that lobbied or bought into decision-making.

  “Hmm. Well, to start, I suppose I should explain that the Raikage has absolute authority over the village, as you likely know. However, without going into the theory behind such things, he isn’t really all powerful.” Kintaro flapped one wing towards the direction of the Council Pillars, and said, “There are five major clans that control a large amount of the wealth in the village. This doesn’t make us much different from other villages, however, in Kumo, it’s different. We have a lot more reliance than other villages on income sources that are not specifically related to shinobi-type business. It started when the previous Daimyo cut off our funding, forcing the village to shrink and divert its attention to its more mundane income sources.”

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  Pakin nodded along, as a picture was already starting to form in his head.

  Kintaro continued, “Thus, the money and resources the clans contribute to the village give them a great amount of power. They act independently for the most part, but collectively, they could sway major decisions in the village. However, they are rarely able to stop fighting and exercise that level of control. So, they are still powerful players, but are mostly concerned with themselves and their rival clans.”

  Pakin nodded and considered Kintaro’s words. That gives me a more complete picture. Also, it makes me appreciate Gera’s connection to Master Toshi even more. Pakin had a sudden, distressing thought and asked, “Does the fact that Gera and I are associated with Master Toshi put us in the middle of their rivalry?”

  Kintaro hummed appreciatively and said, “That’s a good question.” The eloquent bird stroked his gizzard with a wing and said, “As far as I am aware, no, you and Gera are not at risk. Unless you directly take on the clan's name, you’re considered off-limits in their little games. Jonin Osako and the Raikage would be rather upset if their prized students were affected by the machinations of the clans. Besides, Toshi wouldn’t allow such harm to befall either you or Gera, that’s just the kind of man he is.”

  Pakin let out an internal sigh of relief. I’m glad I can avoid that. I’d hate to end up like poor Goro, caught between two powerful people. A small part of that explanation stuck out to Pakin, so he asked, “Why would the Raikage be mad? I understand Director Osako being upset, but why the Raikage?”

  “That’s a good question.” Kintaro stroked his gizzard again, slower this time, and replied, “I’m not sure. It seems he cares deeply for the students that come out of the program, as he was at Chie and Gera’s graduation ceremony. The reason I mentioned his displeasure was because of an incident a few years back.”

  Pakin pulled a pillow into his lap and hugged it comfortingly. At the same time, Kintaro explained, “Apparently, a few clans tried to claim several Polisher graduates from the third class to finish the program. The poor children were caught up in the politics of it all, and several of them suffered ‘accidents’ on very easy missions directly after graduation. The Raikage found all the parties involved and had them pay exorbitant reparations to the affected shinobi. The clans were furious, but when they tried to retaliate, he threatened to annul several lucrative trade deals with each of the clans and the village.”

  That’s serious. Pakin thought , He was willing to seriously hurt the village for these kids! Why though? Is he just that good of a guy? Pakin asked Kintaro, “Why does he care so much about the graduates?”

  Kintaro shrugged his feathered shoulders and replied, “I’m unsure of the specifics. I hear a lot from Chie and her friends, but everyone is stumped about why Lord Raikage favors the program's graduates so much.”

  Pakin rolled his head from side to side and said, “Well, that’s certainly mysterious.” He stopped rocking and thanked Kintaro, “I appreciate you filling me in, Mr. Kintaro! I figure it’d be good to know this kind of stuff if I’m going to be living here for a while.”

  Kintaro said, “Of course, young Pakin. I’d be happy to discuss politics with you at any time. I’d recommend you study the basics first, though, just so we could have a proper conversation on the topic.”

  “I’d actually like that a lot!” Pakin went to Gera’s room and grabbed a notepad from his bag. He returned to the living room and wrote down a few authors that Kintaro suggested.

  “Well, young Pakin. I’d love to stay up and chat with you some more, however, I’m sure you have things to attend to before bed, and it’s getting rather late.” Kintaro dug his claws into the couch one last time before jetting back to his spot in the loft.

  Pakin turned to the clock hanging in the kitchen and gasped, it was already half past midnight, and he hadn’t done any of his late-night training. “Oh shoot.” He cursed, making sure to mind his language around Kintaro. He ran back to Gera’s room, deposited his notebook into his bag, and went onto the balcony to practice his Kusarigama movements.

  I should work on moving my chain arm, too! He recalled Toshi’s advice and focused on his other arm as he moved in and out of the various forms of his kusarigama Kata. As he moved through the forms, he thought about the new life he was set to live.

  It’s all so much bigger than Fuwayama. He laughed as he considered the ridiculous night he’d just had, arcing his scything arm slowly through the air as if disarming a phantom opponent. I just had one of the nicest dinners I’ve ever had, owned by one of the wealthiest families in town. Then, I was walked home by a sentient throwing knife who’s in love with her human partner. Finally, I capped off my evening with a political lecture from a talking vulture and then headed outside to practice with my scythe and chain. He couldn’t help it; his form collapsed as he giggled uncontrollably, thinking about how insane it all sounded.

  He managed to calm down after a few rounds of hysterical giggling, turning his eyes upwards to gaze at the stars above. He’d noticed it before, but the stars above him were so different from the ones he remembered from his old life. I thought I’d just gotten a second lease on life when I woke up in Fuwayama. Now I’m living some escapist fantasy in another world, the kind any other child would kill for. The thought saddened him,, and he quickly brushed away his melancholy, knowing the spiral that might ensue if he kept thinking about it.

  So, he committed himself to his practice and tried very hard not to think about anything else. He focused his chakra and allowed the ringing to lull him into a meditative state, every turn and swipe of his scythe erasing the unease that had seeped into his mind. He practiced late into the night, finishing as the moon reached its apex above him.

  At least the moon is still the same. Pakin thought to himself before heading inside and getting ready for bed.