A/N: A retrospective I couldn't resist. Feel free to contradict it through a review, though.
Justice – what was it that determined the actions of an individual to a degree that would change the course of one's destiny? Words became deciding factors, whereas circumstances became secondary, complimentary factors.
It was an amiss, that is was. Something that was all too easy to believe in since it was only convenient to do so – or so he was inclined to think. After joining the ANBU, he had learned that thinking in a way other than a predefined preset wasn't encouraged. Uchiha Itachi had not been the only Uchiha to have joined after all, Uchiha Shisui had been a miracle admission likewise, just less advertised.
Though that served him just as well, he supposed – it was easier to work from the shadows, which is what he had been doing since the very beginning; serving his clan, keeping an eye on his cousin and the hidden forces of the village, trying to keep a neutral stance where it came to clan meetings.
He was often criticized for having a potential taste for treason – but really, was that his fault too? His father had been a loyal Uchiha to Konoha under the Nindaime's tutelage; he couldn't help the sentiment that rose up whenever someone from the clan would badmouth the current Hokage, or the village rules.
Surprisingly enough, Fugaku wouldn't hear of any ill will towards the old man either, though years of mistrust and resentment was something that was well rooted in the clan head. They would never forget the fact that the Uchiha compound was kept away from the Village suburbs and that they would always face some sort of resentment from the Hyuga who considered them as wayward, traitorous clansmen.
Which they were, sort of. Not that it mattered anymore (to them at least) for as long as the Uchiha were concerned, they were a separate clan from a long time ago, and had already surpassed every other shinobi lineage in combat.
And this was basically skimming the surface. There were a lot of resentments, a plethora of underlying negativity marring the surface behind every individual borne Uchiha, one which they could not let go of.
It irked him, that it did. Raising two fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose, Shisui exhaled in slight irritation, the thoughts churning into a light headache which he really couldn't afford at the time, he had a reputation to uphold after all. Coal orbs slid shut momentarily as he allowed himself to rest against the tree bark he was currently keeping guard under, the main entrance of the Hokage mansion clear in sight.
Guard duty. A few operatives had seemed dissatisfied with the idea, considering how strained the relationship between the Uchiha and the village were – though old man Hiruzen had simply brushed it all aside and vouched for his loyalty. That, obviously, had resulted in two things; one being a good word with the Hokage and the other being a growing mistrustful one with his fellow operatives.
It was ironic considering that the clan had been charged with keeping the peace and security of the village in the first place. Though the village had been a result of a declaration of peace between the two clans but the historical fact could always be questioned – then again, everything could be questioned, right?
Chakra as silent as the footfalls of a rabbit, he straightened himself, opening his eyes with a small sigh. Everything could be questioned, yet at the same time nothing could, answers had recently turned relative and manipulable so everything basically became a question of convenience.
Convenience then, trumped justice. Convenience dictated everything, their morals, their actions and even their decisions. It was convenient to give an operative a blank mask, strip said operative of his identity and have a fighter at disposal, just like it was convenient to give the Uchiha their own compound away from the village to give them a semblance of feeling special.
"Right" and "Wrong" became relative too – everything worked as long as it did, all they had to do was make sure that the time passing was bearable, no one had any guarantee with regards to the future now did they? That part of time was simply a bet which no one in the present would have to pay for since they wouldn't remain important in that time frame.
It was kind of complicated, but at the same time it wasn't. Shisui liked to consider himself as quite the thinker, though logic was something his cousin excelled in, Shisui simply gave him the proper cues to think on – one could consider it manipulation in a way but he couldn't help it, he adored his little cousin like a brother. Itachi was too naïve to understand the predefined values that made the world go round and every system work – reality wouldn't be fair simply because one willed it to be.
It took time, perseverance and a unique blend of stubbornness which his cousin's oddly gentle self didn't possess. If Shisui were to be blunt, he'd say that despite his prowess in the field, being a shinobi was something that didn't suit him at all but since it was the clan pride, Itachi excelled in it anyways.
How was he supposed to make him see the way he did? To make him understand the difference between red and vermillion? Times had changed, there was no hope for the petty ideal of justice in a world ruled by the human ideas of convenience. The only differentiating factor then, was priority – the village over the clan, or the clan over the village? Family over duty or otherwise?
Time was of the essence and change was riding on the sakura laden wind. An option of convenience would come up again soon, and as a misfit in the system Shisui did not know if he would witness it first hand or from outside time. The sharingan had limited possibilities after all. He almost wished he could manipulate time instead of minds.
Not that it would change anything, it was simply more convenient.