Minato gasped at the suggestion that the village elders had so calmly placed in front of not only himself and his wife, but of all of the clan leaders in front of him. They had called a meeting together earlier that day, saying that attendance was vital to village security. They had started out by emphasizing the importance of the Leaf's military forces, and had built up the anticipation to a supposed strategy. Maybe he had heard incorrectly?
"I'm sorry, Lady Koharu, but am I not mistaken in the thought that you have asked us all to produce another child?"
She didn't flinch. "Yes, Minato, that is correct. In order to maintain the prowess the village has as the most powerful, we need a powerful weapon at our disposal. What better way to accomplish that than to combine the abilities of every clan into one?"
Fugaku cleared his throat. "Is that not accomplished when the village forms squads? Not only is it impossible for sixteen people to produce a single child, but the mere thought of it is blasphemy. Most of us are nearly finished with parenting, and are not keen on starting over again."
Hiashi nodded. "While I hate to agree with Uchiha, he is correct. At the moment, the clan heads are more focused on preparing our next of kin to assume the clan. We shouldn't be focused on chasing around a little one."
Hiruzen glared. "Non-compliance will result in your immediate arrest as a traitor, and rest assured, the rest of your clan will suffer as well."
Shikaku tried to bring the peace back. "With all due respect, Lord Hiruzen, they are correct. We are all well beyond the age of raising another child, and it seems more practical to form squads with multiple bloodline traits than to bring another child into this world."
Inoichi nodded. "Indeed. In addition, it will take time before the child is even of use in terms of training. What is the purpose of waiting twelve years for the child to graduate from the Academy, when we could form countless squads in mere moments?"
Danzo glared at all of the clan leaders. "Obviously, you're all more concerned with the surface of the issue. Imagine the possibility of a child, being able to use six, maybe seven or eight, bloodline limits at once. Then imagine a squad of eight, attempting to attack one enemy at the same time. In this day and age, minimalism is the best approach, and we must do more with less men. Surely you all comprehend that?"
The room grew quiet. Fugaku sighed and spoke. "While we comprehend that, and we understand the usefulness that such a shinobi would bring to the battlefield, there would be a significant loss in one blow should this child die. We cannot press all of our hopes on something so experimental, when we have many prudent options at the moment."
Danzo sneered evilly. "Well, why don't I give you some prudent options to help you make your decision wisely? You can either agree to this provision, or be forced to watch your clan suffer. We have prepared the ANBU to attack your clans should you refuse, and you can watch as they are slaughtered like pigs."
Minato glared at the elder. "You can't force the clans into agreeing to something as ludicrous as this! Furthermore, you can't control the ANBU without my written consent, of which I did not give."
"That may be, Lord Hokage, but we have an ANBU shadowing your son as we speak. How would you like to outlive him?"
Kushina stood. "You evil bastard! What the hell does he have to do with this?!"
Minato held her back, knowing that Danzo wouldn't hesitate to have an ANBU finish her off.
The room was absolutely silent, as the clan leaders and their spouses were caught in a stalemate with the village elders. Was there any way that the elders could do something like this? And why were they so ready and willing to annihilate their most powerful clans. They spoke of strengthening the village and gaining more military power, but wouldn't this child also be a weakness as well? Mikoto pondered these thoughts, imagining the consequences of having this child. Itachi would have less time preparing to inherit the clan, and would now have to cope with having a younger sibling running around. In addition, Sasuke was not necessarily the big brother type, so how would this affect him?
Lady Yamanaka was focusing on the more immediate consequences of non consent. What was to happen to her clansmen should she and her husband refuse- would they be stabbed? Burned to their deaths? Tortured perhaps? And what of her precious daughter...?
Ino was beautiful, strong, intelligent, and destined for greatness. She was going to inherit the Yamanaka clan, maybe even in a few years if her father deigned it appropriate! She was a heartbreaker, the girl that all of the young men in the village fantasized about, and she deserved to live a long life. Could she really refuse the ludicrous measure that the elders were proposing, especially if the cost was her daughter's life?
She glanced at her husband, who was clearly sharing her thoughts. More than even his wife, Inoichi loved Ino. Since the day she was born, he spoiled her rotten, and gave her everything he had. After his parents had passed, only a year before Ino was born, he felt so empty. Without the people who loved him most in this world, what was he to do? Granted, when he and his wife had conceived, it wasn't necessarily planned that they would have a child at all. But the second he held her in his arms, when the eyes that were so much like his mother's stared back at him, his heart was taken. He would give her the best he could. And maybe even more. There was no way he would endanger her life now.
He gave his wife a nod, and she stood. "What do we need to do should we consent?"
Yoshino turned to her. "You're not giving in this easily, are you?" Her only answer was silence, as Lady Yamanaka glanced at the table. "You idiot- you're playing right into their game! How could you-"
"I have no desire to outlive my daughter and watch my clan be killed off! If you have any sense within you, you'd be wise to follow my example." She turned to the table, biting back tears as the decision was wrenched from her.
Mikoto sent her a look of sympathy, and turned to see Kushina crying unashamed. What was she to do? This plan felt like some sort of manipulation. The council was so corrupt, and try as he might, even Minato couldn't rid of them. They had better control of the ANBU than he did, apparently, and there was no realistic way to fight them off, even for the Uchiha clan. Would this child that they were to create end up the same?
An ANBU was directly above her and her husband, the same with everyone else within the room. She knew that if she so much as thought about activating her Sharingan that the consequences would be disastrous. Refusing the elders would be futile, and the clans would all fade in one day.
Danzo smiled, seeing the defeat in their eyes. Perfect. His plan had worked out with no hassle- it was amazing what the threat of killing a child could do to a mother. The clans all signed their consent, and were dismissed.
When they got home, the first thing Kushina did was search frantically for Naruto.
"Naruto?! Naruto?! Where are you?! Naruto! NARUTO!" She ran about frantically, calling to her son, when she heard a door open and close, with barely audible footsteps following.
"What is it, Mom?" He yawned, and from the way his hair was messed up, it was obvious he'd been sleeping. As one of the most skilled, albeit goofy, ninja in the village, Naruto was frequently sent on missions, and as a result, he was exhausted most of the time that he was home.
Kushina embraced him. "I was just... Wondering where you were. I didn't remember you coming home from your last mission, so I got worried."
Naruto was put off by his mother and her odd behavior, but he returned the hug. "I just got back a few hours ago." He turned to his father, "How was the meeting?"
Minato sighed. "It was pretty long, and there were a lot of things I didn't agree with, but all is said and done." He smiled, but Naruto was smart enough to catch onto the apprehension. "Why don't we all go out for some Ichiraku?"
Naruto grinned, and Kushina gave a smile that feigned happiness. With that, the family left for the restaurant, enjoying a light-hearted evening.
Ino sat on the couch of her family's living room, lounging about as she read puff pieces on her laptop. She had another tab open to a fashion furniture store, and she scrolled down the page to see which set she liked most. Her parents had given her permission to redo her room, and she had gladly accepted.
The front door opened, and her parents walked in, weary and tired. Ino raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Tough meeting?"
Her father nodded, sitting down next to her. "Very tough, and very complicated."
Ino scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She was thirteen, and most of the girls her age would refuse to cuddle with their fathers, but she was a Daddy's girl through and through. "You can tell me about it, I give pretty good advice."
Inoichi laughed, turning and kissing the top of his daughter's head. "That you do, but I don't want you to waste your concern on me."
Before Ino could respond, a maid walked in, announcing that dinner was ready. They sat down, and Inoichi and his wife listened as Ino prattled on about her plans to redesign her room, talking about furniture, putting cabinets in her walk in closet, which paint colors she liked, and whatnot. After ten minutes, Ino grew bored of talking, and ate her dinner in silence as well. The tension in the room made it almost too thick to breathe, until Ino's mother spoke up.
"Darling, have you ever wanted a sibling?"
Ino looked up. "For a while, I thought I wanted a little sister, but after seeing how that ended for Hinata, I decided that younger siblings were a waste of time, and that they were too much for me to handle. Why?"
Her mom shook her head. "No reason, dear."
Ino stared at her mother. "Don't tell me you're pregnant! Oh my God, ewwww! That's gross, you guys are like fifty! Didn't you get your tubes tied a long time ago?!"
Inoichi spoke, giving Ino a firm look. "Ino, calm down. Your mother is not pregnant, but if she were, that kind of reaction is not befitting of a young lady who will become the head of the Yamanaka clan. Do you understand me?"
Ino grew quiet, nodding sullenly as she stared back at her dinner. Suddenly, she was suspicious of what was going on with her parents. The evening passed by too slowly, and as Ino sat in her bubble bath, she wondered what had happened at the meeting to make her parents act so weird.
Hiashi looked on as Neji and Hinata sparred, with Neji blocking and counter attacking Hinata effortlessly. Hanabi watched on next to him, and she placed her head against his side. He didn't think about it as he stroked her hair, finding solace in the soft tresses. With a sigh, he ended the sparring session.
"Neji, Hinata, that's enough for today."
They stopped, and Hiashi beckoned the three children inside. His wife had just finished making tea, and she smiled serenely at them all. Hiashi couldn't say that he was in love with her, or any other woman for that matter, but he found her to be a wonderful wife and mother. In addition, she had been his source of comfort after Hizashi had been murdered.
She turned to her Hinata and Neji, "Would you two care for something cold to drink?"
Neji shook his head, bowing politely. "No thank you, Lady Hyuga." It had been a little over a year since Hiashi had revealed the truth about Hizashi to Neji, and while the relationship they shared was far better than it had been in the past, they weren't exactly close, either. Neji's mother had become terminally ill about a month afterwords, and had passed a few months later. Now, the boy was living with the Main Family, at the insistence of the elders. Neji rarely spoke unless spoken to, and Hiashi wished he could comfort the kid, but he wasn't able to bring comfort to his own daughters.
Not that Hanabi needed any comforting. She was a vibrant, happy, confident girl, and though he would never openly admit it, she was his favorite. It couldn't be helped, really. He bonded with her in a way that just simply wasn't possible with Hinata.
It bothered him slightly that his eldest had bonded with her mother so much more than with him, but he didn't think that could be helped. He had tried to talk to Hinata, just to see what was on her mind, who her friends were, how she liked school, and all other mundane questions that he could come up with. But no matter how hard he tried, she just wouldn't say much. Instead of realizing that it was her nature to not say much, he interpreted it as her unwillingness to bond with him, even though he would never say anything like that aloud.
"How was the meeting?" Hinata asked quietly.
Hiashi sighed. "Anything involving the Uchiha means trouble, but right now, I don't wish to talk of such irritating matters. How was your training?"
Hinata smiled gently at her father, in a way similar to her mother. "It went well, wouldn't you say, big brother?"
Neji nodded, and replied with a terse response in the positive. The room grew quiet and remained so for the duration of the evening.
Itachi and Shisui were sitting on the back patio of the former's home, watching the sunset and discussing matters of menial importance. The back door opened, and both young adults turned, seeing Sasuke. Itachi smiled at his little brother. "How was the mission?"
Sasuke grunted. "It was more of a challenge than I was expecting, but it was overall successful."
Shisui smiled as well. "That's good to hear. Are you enjoying your new rank as a chunin?"
Sasuke shrugged, but both of the other males knew he did. Sasuke turned around. "I'm going inside." The door closed, and Shisui and Itachi were left in silence.
"Your parents must be proud of him."
Itachi nodded. "They are, but the kid gets far too many missions for his own good."
Shisui laughed a little. "We were the same way. Guess we still are."
Itachi gave a grunt in acknowledgement, and the two headed inside. Sasuke was asleep on the couch, exhausted from his mission, and Itachi turned the air conditioning down a little so his baby brother could sleep. He gave Sasuke a fond smile, ruffling the latter's hair and pouring a glass of water that he gave to Shisui.
The front door opened, and Mikoto and Fugaku walked inside. Catching the sight of her youngest son asleep on the couch, Mikoto smiled, leaning down and kissing his forehead gently.
Fugaku looked over to his wife, and his lazy excuse for a son. "What's wrong with you, boy?! Haven't I told you not to sleep on the couch before?!"
Sasuke's eyes shot open, and he tried to cover up the fact that he'd broken his father's rule. "I was meditating, Father, but I apologize for upsetting you."
Fugaku shook his head, turning to his eldest son and nephew. "How were things at the station during my absence?"
"They were fine, father. How was the meeting?"
"The damn thing was so infuriating. Nothing involving the Hyuga is good news, as we all know, but when the Council is added to the mix, things just get worse."
Shisui nodded. "What was the topic of the meeting, if I may ask?"
"Village security. They have this plan for the ultimate weapon, and we have no choice but to participate."
Itachi's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm sure the Hokage was a little more reasonable than that."
Fugaku grunted. "That's the thing- Minato had no more control than we did at the meeting."
Before more questions could be asked, Mikoto intervened. "We should eat dinner soon, don't you all agree?" She was able to make something quickly, and they sat discussing Sasuke's mission that day. He'd followed a bunch of bandits who were looking for scrolls sent from the Hokage. There'd been a skirmish, and he'd successfully arrested all eight of them while rescuing his comrades. He received much praise for his accomplishment, and the Uchiha sat there peacefully.
Mikoto lay in bed that night, wondering what was to happen next. A surrogate had been found, some former prostitute from the outskirts of the village, and they were to all report to the hospital for an appointment with Tsunade. She turned to her husband, eyes wide and questioning. "Are you worried?"
He grunted. "About what? The baby we supposedly have to create? I just think that there's an ulterior motive behind it all. That Danzo never was a supporter of any clan, much less of the Uchiha, and the fact that he's involved just makes me even more suspicious."
Mikoto bit her lip, frowning deeply. "Do you think he'll get the opportunity to harm us at all? What about Sasuke and Itachi?"
Fugaku sighed. "They'll be fine- if he strikes at all, it'll be when the child is already born."
She sighed. "I'm not sure I want to have another child. What of the age differences between the baby and our existing sons?"
Fugaku grunted. "All of this can be hashed out later, but for right now, we should sleep." He turned off his bedside lamp, and Mikoto did the same, silently wondering what this new baby was to bring.
It was official- the IVF had taken, and the prostitute was pregnant. Three months along, to be exact, due the first week of August. Shikaku sighed, knowing that he would soon have to tell Shikamaru, along with the rest of the clan. But how were they to ever understand what he and his wife had been pressured into? They simply couldn't, and he would be looked down upon, and seen as less of a leader, less of a father, and less of a man...
Yoshino placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing it slightly. She gave him a supportive and reassuring smile- they had been through the process of having a baby before, and they could do it again.
Minato and Kushina were unusually quiet, and didn't really have a reaction to the news. In fact, the only people who had seemed pleased at all about the situation was the Council. Of course they would be happy- this was their idea in the first place. Kushina thought miserably. She placed her head on her husband's shoulder, savoring the feel of his arm around her. She looked over to Mikoto, whose face was impassive, but Kushina could see the analysis behind the stoic grey eyes. Mikoto turned, catching her gaze, and gave her a half hearted smile.
Danzo spoke. "I assume that by now, all of you are aware that this pregnancy is in full swing. There is no turning back from this. I order you to tell your clans and families at once. You are now dismissed."
The clans lingered in the room, as did the prostitute. She glanced at them nervously, and tried to bring up some bravado. Minato walked over to her, and in an attempt to be kind, he held out his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, I'm-"
The prostitute sneered. "Yeah, I know who you are, stupid bastard. You're the Hokage, strongest person in the village, greatest ninja ever to have existed, and all that shit. Listen asshat, I don't want to be here, those old guys just gave me this job so I could leave prison and have parole. Capice?"
Minato was taken aback, but Kushina was enraged. She grabbed the protitute's shirt, glaring at her and causing the other woman to cower slightly. "I don't give a shit why you're here, or what your opinion is- I don't want to hear you say another Goddamn thing about my husband. He earned his fucking title, and you'd do damn well to respect him. Got it, bitch?"
The prostitute glared at Kushina, but upon meeting the fury in the other woman's eyes, backed down and nodded feebly. "Whatever. So who's paying me?"
Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "No one is paying you. If it would be anyone, talk to the Council."
The prostitute stared at him for a moment, before she realized who he was. "You're the cop that arrested me! You asshole! Do you know what prison is like? Do you know how much you ruined my life- you fuck head?!"
Fugaku glared at her. "I do know what prison is like, and you're better off there than on the streets. Besides, whore, you didn't have much of a life to ruin, if I recall. All you did was peddle money and shoot up, in addition to corrupting our streets and youth."
The prostitute became feral, leaning in to slap him, but Mikoto caught her hand. The prostitute stared up at the rather tall woman, looking into her eyes and immediately wishing she hadn't. The racing red of the Sharingan sent tremors down her spine, and she shook in fear. It felt as though she couldn't breathe, and the tightness of her chest was slowly suffocating her. Never before had her heartbeat stopped like this, and her body was cold with terror. She wanted to cry, and not caring about how awful it was, the prostitute wet herself in fear. Mikoto saw this, and released the other woman. "The next time you even think about harming my husband, remember that feeling. I only spared you the true terror of the Sharingan because you're carrying my child. I was once a jonin, I can kill you easily. Just keep that in mind."
Yoshino glanced at the Uchiha, and started to reprimand her. "Was that really necessary? She wet herself, Mikoto! Don't you think you went a little overboard?"
Mikoto shrugged slightly, waving off the lecture. "If she had come at your husband, your reaction would have likely been the same."
Yoshino didn't respond, knowing that it was true.
Chouza cleared his throat, "Why don't we all go out to eat? I mean, a new baby is cause for celebration, isn't it?"
Inoichi smiled. "That sounds like a great idea."
The sixteen of them headed to the nearest restaurant, taking the back section that was usually used for events. Since it wasn't booked for that day, they had plenty of time to discuss what was to happen during the next six months.
Minato sighed, taking a shot of sake. "I don't think that we should let the civilians know who the child really is, if only for the safety of the baby. As such, I feel we should give this child a civilian last name, in order to keep the true identity a secret."
Hiashi nodded. "Agreed. Besides, it would be best not to have the child take one single clan name, if only for the sake of all our sanity." His wife reached out to hold his hand, and he let her, simply because he didn't care to push her away at the moment.
Fugaku sighed. "I hate agreeing with Hyuga, but he has a point. Due to clan policy, this child cannot officially take the Uchiha name."
Minato raised an eyebrow. "Why not? You're the father, and Mikoto is the mother."
"The child must carry at least one fourth of Uchiha blood, and this child only has one eighth. Regardless of who is the parent, I must set an example and uphold the policy of my clan."
Inoichi nodded. "The Yamanaka clan has a similar policy. I cannot allow for the child to take the clan name, either."
Kushina groaned. "Well, which last name can we use? Minato and I are the only civilians in this group, but we both have far too many enemies to let the child take our surname."
Mikoto placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We can simply pull a last name from the civilian records, can't we?"
Minato nodded. "Yes, we can. But as of yet, we shouldn't be too concerned about names, since we don't even know the gender of the child. Our concern right now should be how we're going to tell our families and clans."
Inoichi sighed. "I doubt Ino will be happy about the news. She babysat once for our cousins, and remarked that she would never do it again. She really hates dealing with children... and people for that matter."
Shikaku pat his friend on the back. "Well, that's what you get for having a daughter, my friend." Inoichi raised an eyebrow, and his friend laughed a little. "I was just kidding. As for Shikamaru, he'll most likely complain the entire time, but he'll be fine."
Chouza laughed. "Choji's pretty easy going, I'm not worried at all."
Hiashi rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter how Hinata and Hanabi react- they're going to have to deal with it."
Shibi said something about how Shino would take the news well, but no one listened.
Mikoto sighed. "I think Itachi will be fine, but I don't know about Sasuke. He's a wonderful son, but he's the baby of the clan. I just think that he's so used to having that title that any change will be difficult for him."
Fugaku grunted. "He'll finally learn to take responsibility, then. You and the rest of the clan have coddled him far too much, in my opinion. He's a brat."
Mikoto huffed. "I'd hardly say he's a brat, dear. He's a good son, and he's one of the most skilled in the clan."
Fugaku rolled his eyes. "You sound as if you're running his campaign to become Hokage."
Mikoto shrugged. "He would make an excellent Hokage. We named him after the Third's father for a reason, dear."
Fugaku made a noise of acknowledgement, taking a generous swig of his sake.
Kushina turned to Mikoto. "You know, if I'm not mistaken, this is kind of like us becoming in laws."
Mikoto laughed a little. "Oh, how I wish! Honestly, I'm hoping for a girl. I've always wanted a daughter."
Kushina smiled. "So have I."
Hiashi grunted. "I have nothing but daughters, I'd like a son this time."
Shikaku nudged Inoichi jokingly. "This could be your lucky break, my man."
"Shut up! Ino will be a great leader," Inoichi growled.
Chouza laughed. "He was just messing around. You always get touchy when you drink."
Minato laughed, before standing. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have paperwork to get back to. If any of you need anything, feel free to give me a call." He left, and Kushina sighed.
"He should just have his clones do the work for him." She crossed her arms across her chest as she grumbled about 'stupid Hokage work.'
Mikoto laughed. "Why don't you and Naruto come over for a while? It'll take your mind off of that."
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "You have wine, right?"
Mikoto smiled. "Of course I do."
Kushina smiled widely, in a way similar to Naruto. "It's a date!"
Fugaku sighed. "I need to leave as well."
Mikoto sighed. "Why?"
"The police station doesn't run itself." He left, pulling on his jacket as he walked out of the restaurant.
Kushina leaned in to whisper in Mikoto's ear. "I just think he doesn't want to be there with the two of us drinking."
Mikoto nodded. The group sat in silence, and slowly filtered out.
Mikoto and Kushina made their way towards the latter's home, and walked in. "Sorry about the mess, I just hate cleaning, and Naruto doesn't help at all."
Mikoto laughed, waving off the concern.
As they walked into the living room, Kushina saw Naruto sleeping on the couch, snoring softly. The Uchiha smiled at the sight; she had often thought of Naruto as a son, seeing as how he was often over to hang out with Sasuke. Kushina walked over to the sleeping boy, shaking his shoulder gently. "Naruto, wake up." He grumbled, and Kushina kept shaking his shoulder, albeit a little more roughly. "Naruto, now." He swatted her hands away, whining slightly. Kushina had a wicked smile on her face, and placed her hands on his sides, and she began tickling him. He giggled a little, and the giggles soon turned into full-out laughter.
"I-I'm up! St-stop it, Mom!" Kushina smirked, and Mikoto laughed from behind the couch. Naruto turned, embarrassed that the other woman had seen his moment of weakness. "Did you really have to do that, Mom?!"
Kushina smirked. "Not my fault you laugh like a little baby. Now, come on, we're heading over to the Uchiha's place for a while."
Naruto yawned, following his mom and her friend over to the Uchiha mansion. It was only about a fifteen minute walk until they arrived.
Mikoto opened the door, and Itachi greeted his mother as she walked in. "Hello Mother. How was the meeting?"
She smiled. "It was fine. Sorry it took so long, we went out with the other clans for drinks afterwards." Kushina and Naruto entered the house behind her, and Itachi smiled politely and greeted them as well.
"Kushina, Naruto, it's nice to see you again."
Kushina laughed. "You're so formal, just like your father!"
Itachi only smiled in return, and Sasuke came downstairs. "Mom, have you seen my phone charger?"
She shook her head. "I haven't, but we have company, dear."
Sasuke turned, and smirked when he saw Naruto. "What brings you here, loser?"
Naruto glared. "Shut up, asshole!"
Kushina elbowed him hard. "Naruto, where did you learn to speak like that?!"
"From you!"
Kushina rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Oh yeah, that's right. Well, if anyone asks you that question, from now on, tell them you learned it from your old man!"
Mikoto raised an eyebrow. "I doubt anyone would believe that, Kushina."
"You never know! Minato swears all the time!"
Naruto and Sasuke rolled their eyes, and went upstairs to Sasuke's room. Sasuke turned to Naruto. "I know you're pretty thick, but even you must have noticed that everyone's parents are acting weird."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Our parents always act weird!"
Sasuke face palmed in response. "Are you serious?! Think about it: when was the last time you saw the Hyuga and members of my clan fighting?"
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "Hmmm, that's a good point. Maybe there's a new treaty that you just don't know about."
Sasuke shook his head. "You idiot, no one ever listens to those kinds of laws. My father just came home half an hour ago, and he said that there's a clan meeting tonight. Something big has happened, and I get the feeling that it's not good."
Naruto sighed. "Now that I think about it, Dad has been more stressed from work than usual. Maybe there's an important visitor coming?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "That could be. Ever since that ninja tried to kidnap Hinata, everyone's always on high alert when a foreign dignitary visits."
Naruto smiled. "See?! It's just some important dude coming to sign some agreement, and everyone'll be back to normal by next week!"
Sasuke shrugged. "Alright. So now that that's settled, what do you want to do?"
Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I could kick your ass at Call of Duty like I always do?"
Sasuke smirked. "Last I checked, I was the one who has the most kills."
Naruto glared at him. "We'll see about that!"
The two of them sat there, playing the game for a few hours before Itachi walked in. "Dinner is ready."
Naruto glanced at him. "Are my mom and I staying over?"
Itachi nodded, and the three of them headed downstairs. Minato and Fugaku were laughing about something or other, as were Mikoto and Kushina. When the adults saw the adolescents in the doorway, they stopped laughing, and the room became quiet. The parents all looked at each other, before nodding in agreement. All Naruto and Sasuke could wonder was what their parents had been plotting. Itachi was in the know of course, leaving the two boys more than confused.
Mikoto smiled. "Well, let's eat, shall we?"
Everyone took a seat at the table, eating their meals quietly. The adults engaged in small talk, with Itachi commenting every so often. Finally, they had all just about finished their plates, when Mikoto spoke. "Sasuke, Naruto, we have something big to tell you two."
The two looked at each other, wondering of their earlier hypothesis was correct. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Minato cleared his throat. "A few months ago, at the meeting we had attended, the Council presented us with an agreement of sorts, and that agreement constituted creating a child that would be part of all of the clans. We've just confirmed that the pregnancy is past the first trimester, and that the baby will be born in late July or early August."
Naruto looked confused. "I don't get it..."
Kushina sighed. "You're going to be an older brother, Naruto."
The boy's eyes widened. "What?! But you don't even look pregnant!"
Minato chuckled at his son's reaction. "Your mother isn't pregnant, we used a surrogate unde the orders of the Council."
Naruto seemed to comprehend. "But wait, how can all of the clans have the same baby? Is that even possible now?"
Kushina nodded. "It is- Lady Tsunade was able to combine all of our DNA into one, and we just found out that the baby is three months along."
Naruto smiled. "Do you know if its a boy or girl yet?"
Fugaku grunted. "That won't be known for another month or two at the earliest."
Sasuke spoke for the first time since the news had been revealed. "So who's the surrogate?"
Mikoto stiffened. "A former prostitute."
The other adults stiffened, recalling the woman's unpleasant nature. Fugaku cleared his throat. "The purpose of the clan meeting is to explain the situation to everyone else in the clan."
Sasuke nodded, taking in the news. Truth be told, he hated children, a lot. Kakashi had brought his newborn son to meet Team Seven a few weeks prior, and when that child screamed, Sasuke became annoyed instantly. He knew that it wasn't the baby's fault that he was crying, but to Sasuke, it didn't matter. Though he hated little children, they always seemed to want his attention. Luckily, he was the youngest member of the Uchiha clan, and therefore rarely had to deal with children... For now.
He didn't want the responsibility of being an older brother. He didn't want to have to babysit a little kid, or listen to the baby cry, or hear the child whine and beg him to do things. He hated the idea of having little kids around, knowing how nasty they were. The thought of having a little brother or sister was less than thrilling, and he could picture a little child getting her sticky hands all over his things, and crying when he took it away. This was going to be a real pain in the ass, he knew it.
Minato cleared his throat. "Thank you both for having us over for dinner. It was wonderful, Mikoto, you give Kushina a run for her money." Kushina jokingly slapped him, and they left.
Fugaku turned to his family. "It is now time to tell the clan." No words were spoken as the family made their way to the meeting place. Fugaku sighed, knowing that some members of the clan would be extremely upset with the village legislature for mandating the conception. He just hoped that they would be able to see the reasoning behind it, if only to preserve the Uchiha's stake in the village. There were far too many things on his mind at the moment, and he sometimes wished that he could simply pass the torch on to Itachi.
He unlocked the door, and his family seated themselves at the long table. Flicking on the lights, Fugaku could now clearly see the impact of the situation. Sasuke, being the baby he was, had began to mope about the decision, and if he didn't have to maintain a stern demeanor, Fugaku would have laughed aloud. He knew his youngest son was not the type to enjoy children, especially small ones. Unfortunately for Sasuke, there was no going back on the matter.
Itachi seemed impassive at first glance, but upon further contemplation, Fugaku could see the utter confusion that his heir felt. But what was there for Itachi to make a fuss over? It wasn't like the young adult had to make arrangements with the other clans or the village, nor did he have to find a way to accommodate a baby. The man shook his head, moving onto his wife.
Mikoto's beautiful face was brought down by stress. Her eyebrows were furrowed in the center, and there were creases in her forehead. Her jaw was slightly clenched, and she bit her bottom lip in worry, and he could hear her mumbling to herself slightly. She had brought a square that she had been quilting for a few hours, mindlessly going thought the motions of stitching the fabrics together. He could only imagine the internal rant she was having, and he knew that probably of all the mothers involved in this, she was the most upset.
After having Sasuke, Fugaku had decided he didn't want any more children, but Mikoto still wanted a girl. She had discussed adoption, and becoming foster parents. She went so far as to suggest hosting an exchange student from the Sand Village. With his responsibilities at work, Fugaku had no desire to go through any of the intense processes that the aforementioned systems held, and he had vehemently let Mikoto know that they were not going to have another child in any way, shape, or form. She was devastated, but she hadn't let it show. Now, she was beginning to rediscover how badly she had wanted a baby girl. However, the fact that it was coming from an order, and not out of a shared desire between herself and her husband, weighed heavily on Mikoto's conscious.
The door opened, revealing an older man that looked very much alike to Fugaku. The latter gave a deep bow. "Hello, Father. I trust that you are well?"
The old man grunted. "I'm fine. You'd better have a good explanation for such a late meeting, boy."
Fugaku sighed. "I apologize for the hour, Father, but rest assured that this is a very much needed meeting."
The Uchiha Elder snorted, rolling his eyes as he looked to his son's family. Mikoto looked up from her quilting, smiling warmly at him as she hugged him. He gave her a halfhearted grin; truth be told, he was a bit of a lecher, and his daughter in law was a hell of a frenzy for him. Still, he would show a bit of restraint around the rest of the clan and especially his grandsons.
The Uchiha Elder had always been somewhat fond of Itachi, since the young man showed so much promise. As the former head of the clan, he had more of an obligation to spend time with his eldest grandson to prepare him for the difficulties that lay ahead. He gave Itachi a nod of acknowledgement when the latter bowed, before turning to his youngest grandson.
Sasuke was definitely the apple of everyone's eye, as far as the Uchiha were concerned. The boy bowed respectfully, and his grandfather ruffled his hair slightly. Sasuke scowled in annoyance, but one look from his grandfather's steely eyes quelled any rebellious behavior instantly.
The clan slowly filtered in, until they were all accounted for. Fugaku stood at the front of the room, for once at a loss as to how to speak to his fellow clansmen. Finally, he cleared his throat and started.
"Three months ago, my wife and I were called to a meeting to discuss village security. The other clan heads were also in attendance, along with the Hokage and the rest of the council. There were many ideas put on the floor, but only one was ultimately passed.
The council wishes to create the ultimate weapon for the village in the form of an individual- one that is able to use multiple kekkei genkai in one blow. To achieve this, my wife and I, along with all of the other clan heads and the Hokage and his wife, are due to have a child six months from now, sometime between late July and early August.
This child is to be accepted as an Uchiha, even though he shall not bear the name. In addition, we are to train this child as if it were any normal Uchiha child, and give our dedication accordingly. I expect no less from any of you."
Tekka stood, slamming his fist on the table angrily. "Lord Fugaku, the Uchiha clan should have never been forced to even participate in this ludicrous motion! We are the strongest clan of all- if we show the Council just how strong we are-"
"We will all die in the attempt, and cause a war." Itachi glanced over at the other man after speaking.
Fugaku glared at Tekka. "If I hadn't signed that treaty that day, we would all be dead. The Elders would have launched a surprise attack from the ANBU, and no matter our strength, our numbers are far too low to be able to counter something of that extent."
Inabi raised an eyebrow. "So I take it the Hokage ordered for this to take place?"
Fugaku shook his head. "He had no more say than ourselves in the matter. Apparently, the members of Root are far greater than the members of the regular ANBU."
There was a collective silence, before Kagami spoke up. "Who is the surrogate?"
Mikoto huffed slightly. "A former prostitute."
A low murmur of disdain circulated throughout the room, and Fugaku cleared his throat. "We had no choice in the matter- it was the village elders who decided on such." Though there was still a strong sense of disagreement regarding the decision, the clan collectively realized that they would simply have to deal with it.
Fugaku cleared his throat, "If there are no further questions, this meeting is adjourned."
The clan filtered out, with some of the members congratulating the main family for the new addition. Kagami and Shisui remained, along with the village elder, when the latter began berating his son for being a weak head of the clan.
"What would drive you to make such a simple minded and weak decision?! When I handed you the position as clan head, I expected that you would be a leader, not some dog to the Senju-tainted Council!"
"Father, I had no choice but to agree. They would have annihilated the clan as a whole with a surprise attack."
His father scoffed. "The Uchiha are the most elite clan to have existed, surely we would have been able to fend off any such ambush."
"No, we wouldn't." Everyone turned to Itachi, who had spoken. Seeing his grandfather's raised eyebrow, he continued. "While our clan is gifted with incredible powers, we are not invincible. Our Sharingan and fire style Justus are truly formidable, yet they are able to be conquered. If we ever forget that we can be defeated, that will be the day when we all meet our demise, and it would suit us well to remember that."
The elder stiffened, but could not argue against Itachi's point. He sighed, and turned to his son. "Do you at least know if you'll gift me with another grandson, or burden me with a granddaughter?"
Fugaku shook his head. "That won't be known for another month or so at the earliest."
Kagami spoke. "Even if the child is female, she will surely be the most beautiful little girl in the village, given the inheritance of her family." He gave Fugaku a small smile, and was given a small nod and twitch of the lips in return.
The elder grumbled. "Oh, yes, well, I suppose if she takes after Mikoto, she will."
Mikoto smiled softly. "You're too kind, father."
He gave her a wink in return. "Your beauty was possibly the biggest factor in why I wanted you to marry my son."
She nodded, knowing how perverted her father in law was. The old man bid the small group good night, swiftly leaving the room. She turned to Kagami, hugging her brother tightly in gratitude. He smiled, hugging her back before turning to his nephews. "So, Sasuke, are you excited to be relieved from your position as the youngest in the clan?"
Sasuke scoffed. "While I don't particularly enjoy being babied all the time, I don't exactly favor dealing with a little child as an alternative."
Shisui laughed. "Itachi said something along the same lines when your mother was pregnant with you."
Itachi smiled slightly. "Yes, I remember that." He turned to his younger brother. "Your feelings about being an older sibling may very well change by the time the baby arrives. Just keep that in mind, Sasuke."
The teenager rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
Fugaku sighed. "We should all be heading home." Kagami nodded, before he and Shisui left, bidding everyone a good night on their way out. The walk home was rather silent, and everyone slowly made their way into their rooms without any words spoken.
Sasuke lay in bed, unsure of how to feel about the entire situation. He contemplated the possibility that maybe his younger sibling wouldn't be so bad, and that it would be nice to have someone looking up to him. Smirking to himself, he figured that maybe he'd be able to convince the kid to do his chores for him later down the road.
Ino burst into her room, sobbing incessantly. Her parents had just announced the news to her, and the feeling of betrayal shook her to her core. She knew thy they didn't have much of a choice in the matter, that the decision was taken out of their hands, but she felt otherwise. Weren't they the ones who told me that you always have a choice?! she thought bitterly. I knew they were up to something a few months ago when Mom asked that sibling question. Throwing herself on her bed, she buried herself into the fluffy decorative pillows, trying to ignore the fact that her parents were probably concerned.
There was a knocking at her door, and she half heartedly threw a pillow at it. "Go away! I don't wanna talk."
She could hear her father sigh from the other side of the door. "Sweetheart, please, can we just finish explain-"
"No! I said I don't feel like talking to you!" The door burst open, with her father stepping in and her mother a few steps behind.
"Ino, I know that this isn't easy on you, but you need to stop acting like a three year old and start acting like a thirteen year old." Inoichi gave her a firm look, and she buried herself into her pillows, shaking her head at his lecture.
"Why didn't you just tell me in the first place?! Why did you even agree to do this?!" Ino wailed, glaring at her parents through teary, red-rimmed eyes.
Lady Yamanaka's eyes filled with tears, and she pulled her daughter into a tight hug, allowing the young teen to cry on her shoulder. "Oh, my love. We couldn't tell you on the day the decision was made- we didn't even know that this idea would take. If we hadn't agreed, the entire Yamanaka clan would have been dead, including you, my flower. I just couldn't let that happen, so please, forgive us." By the end of her speech, Lady Yamanaka was crying alongside her daughter, and she could feel Inoichi hugging the two of them comfortingly.
"How am I supposed to go from being an only child for thirteen years to having a younger sibling?! I don't think I'd even be that great of an older sister anyways!"
Inoichi wiped his daughter's tears with his thumbs, giving her a gentle smile. "You'll be the best older sister this child has, my flower." He kissed her forehead softly, and she leaned her head into his chest. He smiled- some things never changed; Ino would always be the center of his universe, just as she'd always be a daddy's girl. "I love you so much, Ino, never forget that. And even though you'll have a younger sibling, you'll always be my girl- don't ever forget that, ok?"
Ino gave him the most stunning smile she could manage at the moment. "Forever and always, Daddy."
Shikaku sighed, pondering whether or not Shikamaru was really going to take the news well. He knew that he didn't really have reason to worry- after all, his son was fairly easy going and level-headed- but there were times when the boy surprised him. Yoshino walked in from the kitchen.
"You're not seriously worried, are you dear?" she asked, and he grunted in response. She rooled her eyes, stepping behind him and massaging his shoulders. "Stop making such a fuss! Shikamaru will complain about how troublesome this is, at the most."
"What's this about me complaining?" Shikamaru stepped into the dining room, placing his weapons holster in the hallway cabinet.
Yoshino smiled. "We have big news for you, Shikamaru, take a seat."
He raised an eyebrow at his mother, before pulling out his chair and sitting at the table. "Why are you two acting so weird today? God, this is such a drag…"he mumbled, propping an elbow up on the table and resting his head in his hand. His mom and dad sure were acting odd, and in his mind, that would never lead to anything good. His mom didn't even say that this was good news, just 'big' news.
Shikaku took a deep breath before starting. "Son, your mother and I are having another baby."
Shikamaru sat pin straight in his seat. "What do you mean you're having another baby?! Aren't you guys like, fourty?"
Yoshino growled in annoyance. "Will you be quiet and let your father finish what he was saying?!"
Shikaku cleared his throat. "Anyways, as I was saying, we're having another baby, but this one is different. You see, the council wanted to combine all the clans into one person, so naturally, all of the clans, along with the Hokage and his wife, are also going to be parent to this child."
Shikamaru gave his father a confused look. "How is that even possible? Last I was told, there could only be one male and one female in making a baby."
Shikaku sighed. "I'm not sure of the exact details, but Lady Tsunade has come up with some new medical ninjutsu that allows her to combine eight sets of parents into one baby."
Shikamaru sighed. "What a drag. So now I have to be a big brother, huh?"
Yoshino smiled. "it won't be that bad. Besides, wouldn't it be nice to have a younger sibling look up to you and idolize you?"
Shikamaru yawned. "Not really. I'm not that big of a fan of babies or kids, you know? But I guess if it makes you guys happy, I'll tolerate it."
Yoshino hugged her son, kissing his head sweetly. "Oh, just think of it- six months from now, you're going to have a baby brother or sister. Isn't that exciting?!"
Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah, I guess." He smiled slightly. From what little he had seen of Hinata and Hanabi's, and by extension, Sasuke and Itachi's relationships, older and younger siblings could be really close. Sometimes, he wished he'd had someone to play Shogi with. His smile widened, as he thought of the day when he would teach his little brother how to play the game. Maybe this would be alright, despite how troublesome it could prove to be.
Three months later, the clan heads sat in the lobby of the family planning center, awaiting the results. After months of trying to identify the baby's gender by sonogram, they were all anxious to find out if it would be a boy or a girl. Tsunade walked out, holding a clipboard in her hand and smiling widely. "It's a girl, congratulations!"
Mikoto beamed in pure delight. Finally, a little girl! One that she could buy dresses for, and whose hair she could place ribbons in. A baby daughter that she could spoil and snuggle with, and talk about boys and crushes with. She knew that this baby would be wonderful, intelligent, and beautiful; Itachi and Sasuke would give her so much love in their own brotherly way.
Turning to Fugaku, Mikoto nearly laughed at her husband's crestfallen expression. His furrowed eyebrows and slight pout only further emphasized his prominent jowls, and his eyes focused on the ground. It wasn't that he hated the idea of having a daughter, it was just that he felt he would have a hard time connecting with the child, especially into the teenage years. From what he'd seen of his clansmen that had daughters, it was definitely hard once their girls hit puberty, and Fugaku could feel the distant dread his future was sure to being him.
What was his father going to think? The words the old man had muttered to him from the clan meeting a while back rang loud and clear in his mind. Gift me with another grandson, or burden me with a granddaughter... Would the Uchiha elder approve of this new daughter? Furthermore, what of the rest of the clan? Daughters were almost always a burden when it came to marriage, as providing a sufficient dowry was the most important thing to Uchiha parents. With a sigh, Fugaku accepted the news. He couldn't change the gender of the child- that was both unnatural and far too extreme for even him.
Kushina was sharing similar thoughts as Mikoto. When she had first become pregnant, she had dreamt a few times of a strawberry blond daughter, one that was as intelligent as Minato, and as kick ass as herself. Naruto was very much the center of her world, that went without saying, but she sometimes wondered what would have happened if he had ended up being a she.
Speaking of Naruto, Kushina knew that he was going to be the fun brother, and that she and Minato were going to be the fun parents. Naruto was the most likely of the soon to be older siblings to get down on the floor and play. He pestered his parents about the baby all the time, asking about the child's health, and if he needed to do anything, and when they needed to set up the nursery. The most important question for the young blond was always about the gender, and now, he would finally know. Kushina grinned widely at the thought of Naruto holding his baby sister, playing with her, reading bedtime stories to her, cuddling with her, and just being an overall awesome big brother.
Minato saw Kushina lost in thought, and wrapped his hand over hers. She looked up to him, smiling excitedly, and he gave her a soft grin of his own. Truth be told, he had always wanted to have another baby with Kushina, but after Naruto's birth, it felt selfish for him to even ask that of her. When she had gone into labor with Naruto, a masked man who later revealed himself to be Madara Uchiha, had taken his son hostage and released the Nine Tailed Fox on the village. Minato had barely been able to seal the spirit away, with the Yin chakra in Kushina, and the Yang in Naruto. After the entire ordeal had passed, the couple silently decided that it would be best not to have another child, despite how much they wanted to.
Now, they were finally given that opportunity, and with significantly fewer risks involved. Smiling even wider, Minato mulled over the idea of his new baby girl. Would she be as much of a Daddy's girl as some of the other little girls in the village, or would she take after Kushina and be a total tomboy? Either way, it didn't matter to him- all that mattered was that she was healthy, happy, and most importantly, safe. He knew he shouldn't worry too much, seeing as how he could order the ANBU to protect her from any threats, added with the fact that all of the major clans within the village were her relatives. Still, a father can't help but worry, and Minato was a shining example of a worrywart if nothing else.
Yoshino turned to Shikaku, a d rather spontaneously kissed him hard. Though very surprised, he returned his wife's gesture, smiling at her as they pulled apart. It didn't matter to the Nara whether the baby was a boy or girl, but with the news, Shikaku was actually excited to have a daughter. Shikamaru had joked that a sister would be infinitely troublesome, but if given the choice, he would rather have a baby sister than a brother. Well son, looks like your wish was granted, Shikaku thought, looking over to Inoichi and his wife. What an opportune moment to give his friend a little shit!
"Well, Inoichi, looks like you're destined to just never have a son," he said, smirking at the other man's reacting.
"Don't pretend you're not happy about this, you jackass," Inoichi grumbled while giving his friend a slight glare.
Choza laughed. "Alright you two, settle down."
Inoichi scoffed, rolling his eyes before turning to his wife. Lady Yamanaka was about ready to leap out of her skin in joy. Within the past month, Ino had come around to the idea of being a big sister, and went shopping with her mother for baby supplies. Ino had openly confessed to everyone that she wanted a little sister, someone to, in her words, 'inherit the wisdom of fashion, beauty, and being a fierce kunoichi at the same time.' Ino also thought that the things from her old bedroom would be better off given to a little sister as sort of a hand me down.
Minato turned to his colleagues. "We might as well tell them now, since they're all here, what do you guys think?"
Hiashi nodded. "I agree."
With that, they all filed out of the room and into a waiting room where the rookie nine, Itachi, Hanabi, and Gai's team were waiting.
Minato smiled at them all. "It's a girl."
Naruto, and Ino cheered rather loudly, while Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji, and Hanabi all displayed their joy rather quietly. Kiba groaned something about another sister, earning a sharp swat on the head from Tsume followed by a sharp reprimand. Shino and his parents quietly discussed the news between themselves, but overall seemed happy with the matter.
Itachi turned to Sasuke. "So, it appears we're having a little sister." he mused.
"That's what they just said," Sasuke sulked. He'd wanted a younger brother, simply because he didn't want his sister's friends fawning over him. In addition, he felt that it would be easier to relate to a younger brother, and that his relationship with a brother would be better than that with a sister. Girls were strange creatures, no matter whose perspective they were seen from, and the annoyed the hell out of Sasuke. He couldn't help the situation, so he just attempted to put on a brave face and deal with it.
Itachi was joyed by the news, though he was able to keep a calm façade. Though he was happy that he would soon be blessed with another younger sibling, he knew that Sasuke would always be his top priority. Call it bias, favoritism, or whatever else, Itachi understood himself well enough to recognize that he would always love his little brother more than anyone else that came along.
It would be odd to have a little girl around, since very few females were born to the Uchiha clan. They were often looked down upon, and were placed under a significant amount of pressure. During his lessons on the inner workings of the clan, he had learned that not only did female Uchihas have to be excellent kunoichi, but excellent housewife material as well. Those who weren't were almost always ostracized by the clan, and their parents by extension. His own girlfriend, Masumi, had already started attempting to win his parents over by helping Mikoto in the kitchen, assisting in hosting clan events, and nearly going out of her way to mention that she wanted to marry and start a family as soon as possible.
Itachi wondered what types of pressure his little sister was to face. Surely, the Uchiha clan was not the only clan to have high standards and expectations for women, but the question was, would these expectations be too much to handle? Would the countless ceremonies, traditions, and rights of passage overwhelm the poor girl? The most awful thought crossed his mind as he mulled over his thoughts- what if his sister was not suited to be a ninja? Who would care for her then? He would do all he could, but by the time she became of genin age, he would likely be the head of the clan, and would have to oblige the ancient rulings that they held. To his knowledge, the other clans had very similar rulings as well, but it wasn't necessarily the clans he was concerned about.
If the baby proved to be invalid, the main concern was in the Council, and what their actions would be. Given the fact that she was born merely to be a weapon was already cruel enough, but if she failed in her purpose, what would they do to her? Would they kill her off and risk a retaliation from the clans? Would they resort to human experimentation to bring out her kekkei genkai? To what extent would they go to get their ultimate weapon, and what could he do to protect his sister from such a wretched life?
Neji walked over to his cousins and uncle, bowing his head. "Congratulations Lord Hiashi, I hope that this baby is healthy and strong at birth, and peaceful during her infancy."
Hinata smiled. "Thank you Neji, that's so sweet of you. If you think about it, you'll be kind of like her big brother."
Hanabi rolled her eyes. "No offense Neji, but you'd be a really boring brother! You're always so serious, and you're no fun!"
Neji raised an eyebrow playfully. "You have five seconds to take that back, or else."
Hanabi could sense a lingering threat in the air her cousin gave off, but she felt a thrill go through her as she decided to push his boundaries. "Or else what?" she challenged.
Neji grabbed her without warning, snatching her before she had the chance to run. Leaning down to whisper in her ear, he smirked. "Or else this." He placed his hands at her sides quickly tickling her to the point of hysterics. Her loud laughter echoed in the lobby, and drew attention to the pair of them. Embarrassed by the public display, Hiashi quickly separated them, briefly apologizing to the others for the interruption.
Tsunade came in, clearing her throat loudly. "I know that today is exciting for all of you, but unfortunately, I have to kick you out."
Minato smiled. "Of course, Lady Tsunade. We should probably head over to the restaurant anyways, or we might miss our reservation."
That night, the group celebrated with a hearty dinner that ended with a toast to the baby girl.
The morning of July first, Ayano Minori Ishihara was born. She was a rather small baby, weighing in at only five pounds, three ounces, and she was barely seventeen and a half inches long, but to her large family, she was perfect. Her long, thick lashes curled up, and when she slept, they covered her cheeks like a little fan. Her nose was small and cute, and her lips were full and vibrantly pink. She was astonishingly bald, with not even a tuft of hair growing. Perhaps the most prominent thing about her appearance was her eye color- a mesmorizing blue grey, befitting the meaning of her name.
The prostitute sat there on the bed, contemplating the fact that she had finished her duty and was now free to be on parole. She could go back to... What could she go back to? Her life destroying heroine addiction? Her lying and cheating men into sleeping with her for pay? Her sugar daddy who abused her, raped her, and stole from her? There was nothing left for her in that world, but because of her reckless behavior, there was no way she could ever have a stable job again. In fact, the pay she received from that bastard Danzo was hardly enough to last her a few months, and her criminal record would proceed her when applying for a job.
Looking over to Ayano, she sighed. That baby had become her life, and now she was walking out on the child she had spent hours giving birth to. It was painful to know that this child really wasn't hers, but to the prostitute, Ayano had become hers. How could a woman spend nine months carrying a baby, and not expect to feel a significant bond? There was no way she would ever win custody of the baby girl, not in a million years, but for some unknown reason, she still wanted to fight for her. Smiling slightly, she stroked the baby's cheek gently.
"You're gonna be one heck of a celebrity around here, that's for sure. Maybe I'll see you around sometime." But the question is, will you see me? Will you ever know who I was, or think about me? Are you ever going to miss me at all, my baby?
There was a knock at the door, and the sixteen parents to the child walked in, all cooing and rambling about how precious she was. They sat there, boasting in their own happiness and blessed lives, not even sparing a glance at the woman who had given them the precious gift they held in their arms. The prostitute sneered at them, and called a nurse to wheel her out of the room. She couldn't sit there and watch them take her baby, even though there was no part of her that could biologically claim the child in the first place.
Ino sat next to Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji, blabbering excitedly about how pretty the baby was going to be, and asking menial questions.
"Who do you think she's going to look like the most? I mean, she has a bit of blond, but there're a lot of brunettes in the mix, too. And her eye color! I mean, will she have grey eyes, or will they end up being blue?"
Hinata laughed a little. "I think she'll probably have brown hair, but a light brown, you know? She might have red highlights, because of Lady Kushina's hair."
Ino nodded. "That's right! I never thought about that before now! I wonder how big she's going to be?"
Sasuke scoffed. "All babies are small, no matter if they're five pounds or eight pounds. And as for what she looks like, she probably looks as if she just hatched out of an egg- red, wrinkly, and gross."
Itachi laughed a little. "Well, aren't you cynical?"
Sasuke shrugged. "It's the truth. She probably won't look human until she's four months old, at the earliest."
Naruto glared at him. "Shut up, bastard, she's going to be the cutest baby ever, believe it!"
A short squabble ensued amongst the siblings as they argued about their younger sister, when Mikoto came out. The teenagers quieted down, and she smiled softly, beckoning them all into the room.
Minato was holding Ayano when they stepped inside, and he smiled and stood up. "We decided to have you all hold her in order of oldest to youngest."
Itachi smiled a little, taking the baby into his arms with a practiced ease. She gazed at his face, emotionless, as he smiled down at her. All Ayano knew was that he was warm, and comfortable enough to snuggle into, so she did just that.
He turned, and handed her to Shino. She slept the entire time, so he handed her to Choji, who fawned excitedly over the sleeping bundle. Kiba was the next person to receive her, and it took many adjustments for him to hold her properly. In the process, he woke her up, and her shrill, shaky cries caused him to become flustered. He shoved her into Sasuke's arms nervously.
"Haha, it's your turn to hold her now, dude!" Sasuke scowled, rolling his eyes and shifting the baby to be more comfortable in his arms. She continued to cry, and he didn't know how to make her calm down. He quietly shushed her, and it seemed to work after a few minutes.
Shikamaru took her, relief on his face. "Thanks for calming her down, this would be really troublesome otherwise." He looked down at Ayano, taking in her angry, scrunched up face. The way she wrinkled her nose reminded him a lot of his Mom, and he smiled down at her. She continued making an angry face at him, and he thought it was adorable.
When Ino finally was able to hold her sister, she was in awe. The perfect little face stared up at her, long eyelashes adorning steely blue eyes. A pout, very similar to her own, was apparent, and Ino couldn't help but love the little one. Ayano yawned, and the baby's dimples were visible. She was perfect, Ino decided, and she reluctantly handed the baby to Naruto.
Holding his little sister, Naruto felt whole, as if a part of him had always been waiting for her. She was starting to get tired again, and nuzzled her face into his warm chest. He smiled fondly at her, finding solace in having someone to protect and love. She became his purpose for living, he decided. I will never allow anything to happen to you, he vowed. I will always do everything I can to protect you, and make you happy. I just want you to always know how much I love you. Big brother will always be here for you, never forget that.
The only people left to hold her were Hinata and Hanabi. They say next to each other, with Hanabi peering in at her little sister as Hinata cradled the newborn. Hinata gently kissed the baby's forehead, noticing the wonderful aroma Ayano had. The soft skin of the baby made her own feel rough, and the blanket was so soft against her arm. Hanabi furrowed her brows together, before speaking.
"Hinata?"
"Yes?"
"Will everyone ignore me now that I'm the middle child?"
Turning to her sister, Hinata smiled warmly. "Of course not! No matter how many younger siblings we end up having, you always have been, and always will be, my precious baby sister." Pressing a kiss to Hanabi's forehead, she leaned in to whisper in her sister's ear. "And I hope that you will never, ever forget that."
Hanabi gave her a dazzling smile in return, kissing Hinata's cheek before placing her head her the latter's shoulder.
For the new older siblings, it was a happy afternoon, as they spent it with their beautiful baby sister. Even Sasuke and Shino were able to crack a smile when Ayano focused her gaze on their faces. There were endless moments of cooing and snuggling with the newborn, as she fell in and out of sleep. Towards the early evening, the village elders paid a visit to see her, and though none of them made a move to hold her, no one in the room felt comfortable with them being so close to her.
Minato cleared his throat. "Lord Danzo, Lord Hiruzen, Lady Koharu, with all due respect, I believe Ayano needs to get some sleep."
Danzo rose an eyebrow. "Oh, and why is that?"
Minato gave him a firm glare, one that he rarely used. "Counting only family and hospital staff, the baby has been held by over thirty people, and it has only been her first day of life. She's been busy since her first breaths, and as an infant, she needs to get plenty of sleep."
Just as Danzo was about to reply, Shizune came in. "He's correct, the baby needs her sleep. In fact, since it is almost eight in the evening, I'm going to limit the number of family members in the room to four at a time."
The village elders left, and Danzo gave all of the parents a nasty look. Slowly, the room started to filter out, and Ayano was placed into a bassinet. Minato smiled at his baby daughter, "Soon, you'll be coming home with us, but for now, get some rest, my love." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, leaving her to sleep peacefully.
The next day, Ayano went home with Minato, Kushina, and Naruto. Though it was impossible to tell what the baby was thinking, she seemed to be happy with her family, and when the custody rotation had completed a full cycle, everyone had become absolutely smitten with the little one.
A/N I hope everyone enjoyed this first chapter! Special thanks to sunshine1381 for helping me with the first draft, i love you sunshine! It took me a while to get going, but I hit a writer's block with my other fic, so I decided to come up with a sister story to it. Pun not intended. Anyways, leave a review, I love reading them!
