A seven-year-old boy with unruly blond hair ran through the forest before stopping at a stream. As he gazed at the clear waters, his thoughts were immediately drawn to the meal he had shared with an old man a few years ago. Roasted fish and a pot of boiled mushrooms. A simple meal, but nonetheless satisfying, and most importantly, free. He contemplated whether he should have the same thing for dinner today, when a voice broke through his thoughts.
"What are you doing?" The boy turned to see a little girl, maybe a year younger or so than him, with dark brown hair and shiny black eyes, staring at him curiously.
"Huh? Oh. I was just thinking about having fish and mushrooms for dinner." The boy said.
"You can make that all by yourself?" The girl asked.
"Well sure! I always take care of myself!" The boy boasted with a grin.
The girl looked confused, "Why doesn't your mama cook for you?"
The boy's face fell and he looked at his feet. "Don't got a mom. Never did."
"Oh..." The girl looked ashamed, but the boy shook it off.
"What are you doing out here anyway? I normally don't run into anyone else when I'm here." He asked. The place they were in was within the walls of the village, yet still deep within the forest. It was rare for other children to come here, especially alone like he did.
The girl pursed her lips slightly and looked off to the side, "I don't like playing in the village. It's weird there."
"Weird? What do you mean?"
"I don't know." She said with a shrug, "It just is."
"Hm. Well you can play with me if you wanna. My name's Uzumaki Naruto-ttebayo!"
The girl giggled, amused by Naruto's verbal tic. "I'm Uchiha Aiko." She replied with a sweet smile.
"Uchiha?" Naruto repeated, "Do you know Uchiha Sasuke then?"
Aiko's smile faltered and she considered how to answer, "I know of him. He's the clan leader's younger son. But the clan leader scares me, so I stay away from him. If I ever do see Sasuke-senpai, it's only when he's at the park with his older brother, in which case, I don't bother them."
Naruto nodded in understanding.
愛の恵み
Several hours passed as the pair of children played together in the vast forest near their village. Hide-and-seek was a particular favorite of Aiko's, but she was thoroughly impressed by Naruto's ninjutsu abilities, unaware that he was actually rather lacking in talent.
"I learned this stuff at the Academy!" Naruto told her proudly, even though his physical agility was something he had always had.
"Wow! I can't wait til I start at the academy next spring!" Aiko exclaimed.
Naruto chuckled and rubbed his nose before turning his attention to the darkening sky. "It's getting dark... You should probably head home. And I still need to catch the fish for my dinner."
Aiko frowned sadly, then suddenly brightened and clasped Naruto's hand in her own, "Why don't you come eat with my family, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto faltered and looked at the ground, "I don't think I should... most of the adults hate me-ttebayo. They always tell their kids not to hang around me..."
"My mama and papa would never do that!" Aiko insisted, "Mama always says that all children should be treated with kindness!"
"Well... if you really think it would be okay..." Naruto said hesitantly. He did like the idea of not eating alone, and of not having to fend for himself to have dinner.
Aiko nodded with a bright smile, then suddenly looked contemplative, "Oh, but... we'll have to sneak around to get to my house. The grown-ups of my clan are scary, and they don't like it when other people come to the compound..."
Naruto grinned mischievously, "That suits me just fine!"
愛の恵み
Aiko led Naruto on an extremely roundabout path to their destination, so much so that it was dark by the time they finally made it to the edge of the Uchiha compound, and even then, Aiko was making a point to avoid the main roads. However, just when they had nearly reached her house, a man suddenly appeared before them and both children yelped in surprise.
"What do you two think you are doing?" The man asked, as if accusing them both of a crime.
Aiko gulped. Despite her best efforts, they had run into one of her clansmen. She didn't know this man particularly well, but it didn't really matter. Trying her best to be brave, she looked him in the eye and answered him, "I'm bringing my new friend to my house to have dinner. Mama and Papa are probably waiting, so would you please let us past?"
"Do you know who that boy is?" The man asked.
"Uzumaki Naruto. The boy that all the adults hate. Or so I've been told." She answered matter-of-factly.
The man's eye twitched, as if she was missing the entire point, "He's the reason for our clan's persecution! The reason that we're treated like we're not part of the village!"
"I don't care!" Aiko declared defiantly, "Even if that is true, it can't be his fault! It's not right to blame someone for things beyond their control!" Apparently further angered, the man reached for Aiko, but abruptly stopped when a man's voice yelled at him. Aiko looked up to see her father standing there. "Papa!"
"What do you think you're doing?" Aiko's father asked as he stride forward, putting himself between his clansman and the two children. "What is the meaning of this, Kagen?"
The man named Kagen narrowed his eyes before pointing at the two children, "Your daughter is trying to bring that monster child into the compound!"
"What my daughter said is exactly right." Uchiha Nichi replied, "A child should not be blamed for something he has no control over."
Kagen's eyes narrowed, "Are you trying to make the village suspicious of us by letting her bring him into the compound?"
"The village is already suspicious of us." Nichi said flatly, "If they weren't, we wouldn't be living in this compound, away from everyone else, and my wife would've been free to do whatever work she chose."
"They'll say we're trying to use the Sharingan to-"
"This has nothing to do with the Sharingan!" Nichi exclaimed, "She hasn't even awakened it! Is my daughter a criminal for wanting to invite a friend to dinner?"
Kagen's eyes narrowed further, and without warning, he thrust a kunai into Nichi's stomach. The man gasped, choking out blood before collapsing.
"Papa!" Aiko cried in terror, rushing to her father's side, only to see blood pouring out of the wound. She stared at him helplessly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?" A young voice demanded. Kagen turned to see a preteen boy standing there, glaring at him. For some reason, he seemed to adopt a more submissive attitude in the boy's presence.
"Uzumaki Naruto must not be allowed near the Uchiha Clan." He explained.
Aiko's whole body shook. What was this man saying? He had just killed her father because she, an Uchiha, was friends with Naruto? A moment ago, he had been talking as though Naruto's presence was dangerous for the clan, but now he was talking as if it were the opposite. But Kagen was an Uchiha himself, so why would he say that? And her father... this was a member of their clan, or supposed to be, so he had completely let his guard down. He hadn't even seen that kunai coming. And now he was lying here before her, and she was powerless to save him. She hadn't been able to save him when the attack had come, and now it was too late. Unlike her father, Aiko was unnaturally distrustful of the adults in her clan, so she never let her guard down around them. If only she had had more power... If she had, maybe she could've protected her beloved father. As the tears fell down her face, Aiko's vision was slowly dyed red, but she hardly noticed this fact as she continued to stare at her too-still father.
The boy quietly observed the terrified Aiko and the stunned Naruto before speaking to Kagen again, "You can't go around killing clan members over things like this. It's entirely outside the scope of our mission. And attacking children for such things is out of the question entirely. Leave, now, before I'm forced to contact the Hokage."
Kagen bowed his head slightly and disappeared from sight. The boy sighed, but before he could act, a female voice broke through the foliage around them.
"Itachi-kun?" A preteen girl with dark brown hair and black eyes broke through the trees. Aiko suddenly snapped out of her daze and looked toward the girl. The world was dyed red and nothing looked right, but she recognized the girl by her voice.
"Izumi-neechan!"
"Aiko-chan!" Uchiha Izumi cried in shock, quickly taking in the body lying next to the younger girl and the sight of Aiko's large round eyes turned crimson red. "Oh my gosh! What happened?!" She rushed forward, quickly embracing the younger child, and Aiko began to weep in the older girl's arms. Izumi looked up at the boy for an explanation.
"...A disagreement between clan members." Uchiha Itachi said reluctantly, "I know who it was. I'll take care of it." Izumi nodded and continued comforting Aiko. The situation was actually far more complicated than she would ever know, but Itachi couldn't inform her of that. He turned his attention to Naruto, who seemed to be slowly coming back to reality, only to look ready to turn and flee from the scene before him. "Naruto-kun." Naruto flinched, but upon looking up and recognizing Itachi, he didn't attempt to run. Itachi knelt down to the younger boy's level and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This wasn't your fault." He assured him. Mouth dry, Naruto nodded mutely, and Itachi closed his eyes. "For your own sake..." The Uchiha boy opened his eyes again, this time crimson red, and a split second later, Naruto passed out in his arms.
"Itachi-kun...?" Izumi asked uncertainly, understandably unsettled by the fact that Itachi had just used the Sharingan on a child.
"I used genjutsu to erase his memories of this." Itachi explained to reassure her, "When he wakes up, he'll believe that he and Aiko simply parted ways in the forest. It's better for his own sake if he doesn't remember seeing what just happened. The feeling that he is somehow to blame for the death of his friend's father might be too much for him to bear."
"Yeah..." Izumi agreed quietly.
"How is she?" Itachi asked, turning toward Izumi with the unconscious Naruto in his arms.
"She seems to have passed out." Izumi replied as she stroked Aiko's hair. "Probably due to the strain placed upon her chakra."
Itachi nodded in agreement, "She seemed familiar with you. Do you know where she lives?"
"Yeah. Our moms are friends." Izumi replied, "So I've pretty much known her since she was born."
"Then would you mind taking her home?" Itachi asked, "I need to take Naruto-kun back to his own home."
"Sure." Izumi said with a nod, standing up with Aiko in her arms.
"Would you mind staying there until I return?" Itachi asked, "I think it might be best if she and her mother... weren't alone right now."
Izumi nodded firmly before her lip quivered with doubt, "What should I tell Auntie?"
Itachi hesitated for a split-moment. Izumi showing up with the unconscious Aiko would mean that she would have to explain the fate of the younger girl's father to her no-doubt already worried mother, which Izumi herself knew very little about. However, Izumi also did not know where Naruto's apartment was, and even if she did, having her return the Jinchuuriki to his home would only aggravate the situation. Only he, as the lone Uchiha in the ANBU, could perform that task without making things worse.
"Just tell her that Aiko-chan was attacked on her way home, that her husband was killed by the attacker, and that you'll be staying with them until I can come to explain the situation to her properly."
Izumi nodded, her previous hesitation gone. Itachi was a fast thinker, so she hadn't detected his momentary hesitation. He was also a chunin while she was still only a genin, in addition to being a member of the ANBU and having four years of experience on her despite being the same age, so she had no reason to doubt his judgment.
Itachi nodded to Izumi before hurrying away with the young Naruto. After returning the child to his own home, Itachi immediately went back to the compound, but rather than going straight to Aiko's home, he first went to his own. He was definitely going to have to deal with his father first, before he got word of Nichi's death from somebody on the police force.
"Itachi! There you are!" His mother said when he entered the house, "You're late for dinner."
"I'm sorry." Itachi apologized to her, "Something came up, and even now that I'm here, I can't stay. Where is Father?"
"We haven't finished yet, but if you need to leave right away again, I'll go and get him." Mikoto replied, hurrying back into the dining room where her husband was with Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke.
A moment later, Uchiha Fugaku walked out of the room and looked at his older son, "What is it?"
Itachi's jaw clenched slightly. He and his father had been at odds with each other for a while now, with things only becoming worse following the death of Itachi's best friend, Shisui.
"Uchiha Nichi has been killed. A man disguised as a member of our clan attacked his daughter, Aiko, on her way home. Nichi-san protected her, but was killed in the process. Izumi and I heard the disturbance and were able to stop the man from harming Aiko-chan." Itachi told his father. Unlike with Izumi, this explanation was entirely true, although not in the way that Fugaku would think it was.
Nonetheless, Fugaku seemed somewhat dissatisfied. "If you have to leave immediately after telling me that, I'm guessing there's more to it." He remarked.
Itachi nodded, "Because this incident was caused by somebody from outside the clan, Lord Hokage would like for the investigation to be handled by the ANBU rather than the police force, to avoid increasing the current tensions between the clan and the village. However, he also acknowledges that it is both the right of Uchiha clan and their place to handle this matter. Therefore, he requests that you would allow me to deal with the situation instead."
Fugaku seemed to contemplate this, "Where is Uchiha Aiko now?" He asked.
"Izumi took her home. I asked her to stay with Aiko-chan and her mother until I came." Itachi replied.
Fugaku sighed, "Yashiro and the others won't be content with the investigation being given to you instead of the Police Force, especially given their suspicions about Shisui's death... however, if we can obtain a witness statement in their presence from Aiko confirming that it was not you that attacked her, as well as Izumi, who was with you, that should be enough to make them accept it."
Itachi nodded and bowed to his father, "Thank you for understanding." It was a rare moment of expressing heartfelt words to his father. Itachi was already aware of the fact that his father and the other members of the clan fully intended on carrying out a coupe d'tat against the Hokage and were merely working on a plan, so the fact that his father was, for the time being, willing to preserve what little stability there was left was a relief to him. Without saying anything more, Itachi turned and hurried to where Izumi was waiting.
愛の恵み
Upon reaching Nichi's home, Itachi knocked on the door politely. To his surprise, it was Izumi, rather than Aiko's mother, who answered the door. While Izumi had likely recognized his aura, the socially inept preteen still thought that it was a bit strange that she had answered someone else's door. Izumi greeted Itachi and then led him down the hall to another room, where he found Uchiha Megumi sobbing with her face in her hands while Aiko was lying on a futon nearby, still passed out. Itachi sighed quietly and entered the room, kneeling to sit in front of Megumi as she looked up at him, eyes begging for an explanation.
"Aiko-chan met Uzumaki Naruto-kun in the woods and befriended him. She tried to sneak him into the compound to have dinner with your family, but a mutual enemy disguised as a clan member intercepted them to try and keep Naruto away from the clan. When Nichi-san came across this while looking for Aiko-chan, he defended Aiko-chan's decision to be friends with Naruto-kun. The man believed that Nichi-san was attempting to use Aiko-chan to bring Naruto-kun within the Uchiha's reach, so that we could take control of the Kyuubi within him, so he killed Nichi-san in front of Aiko-chan."
"I see..." Megumi said quietly, "So the reason she was unconscious when Izumi-chan brought her home was—"
"Yes." Itachi interrupted gently, feeling that particular piece of information was best left unspoken. "Izumi and I heard the commotion, and I was able to get there before he could harm the children."
"But... Itachi-kun..." Izumi said uncertainly, "You told me it was a disagreement between clan members."
Itachi looked over at his only friend, apology in his eyes, "I said that for Aiko-chan's sake. She's not able to see through a transformation yet." He explained, still unable to tell Izumi the full story.
"This man... did he—" Megumi began.
"He didn't see. He was too focused on me when he sensed my approach." Itachi told her, anticipating her question, and this time she seemed to understand what he wished to leave unsaid.
The woman sighed in relief before she stood up and walked over to pick up her sleeping daughter, "Itachi-kun, would you be so kind as to escort us to the Hokage's mansion? I need to speak to him about this directly. As a member of the ANBU, you should be able to take me to him, right?"
Itachi nodded—the fact she knew that he was ANBU was unconcerning, since that was basically public information within the clan—and turned to Izumi. "You should return home. Tell your mother that I apologize for keeping you so late."
"She'll understand." Izumi said with a nod before she and Itachi stood up.
愛の恵み
It took roughly thirty minutes for Itachi and Megumi to reach the Third Hokage's mansion, walking rather than running to avoid waking the still-sleeping Aiko. Once they did, it was easy for Itachi to gain an audience with the man, and the two of them were soon seated in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"I see..." Hiruzen said thoughtfully, looking down as his pipe, "Do you know who was responsible for this, Itachi?"
"Yes." Itachi replied, "It was a member of the Foundation."
"The Foundation?" Megumi asked in confusion.
Itachi said nothing, unsure what was permissible to reveal to the woman, but Hiruzen answered for him.
"The Foundation is subdivision of the ANBU under the command of Shimura Danzou." He explained, "They act only on his orders. All the same, killing a citizen of Konoha on mere speculation is unacceptable."
Megumi looked down, a hidden darkness in her eyes, "I never did like that man..."
The Hokage nodded, knowing that Megumi had something of a personal history with Danzou. "I will make sure that he does not attempt to harm you and Aiko-chan."
"Thank you, Lord Third, but with all due respect, I don't think that will be enough." Megumi replied.
"Oh?" Hiruzen asked, wondering what she was thinking.
"Danzou was the one who forced all of the Uchiha—including my husband and I—to move into the compound, isolated from the rest of the village. After tonight, it is safe to assume that his subordinate has somehow infiltrated the Uchiha and has been keeping an even closer eye on us than we originally thought."
"Than you originally thought?" Itachi asked with a brow raised.
"My husband knew about the surveillance cameras." Megumi said bluntly, certain it was a subject that Itachi was already aware of, "Even when his Sharingan was inactive, my husband had sharp eyes, so he noticed them. Although he never mentioned the matter to the clan, he did memorize their locations and taught them to Aiko. Although she has not received any other training yet, he taught her how to evade the cameras and move through the compound unseen. He didn't like the idea of anybody spying on a small child. That was why Aiko took a roundabout way to try to sneak Naruto-chan into the compound instead of just walking through the front gates. Aiko knows that the members of the clan are not fond of outsiders entering the compound, so she decided to sneak him in. That is also why my husband knew exactly where to find her."
"What was it you were saying about a spy among the Uchiha?" Hiruzen asked, abruptly changing the subject, and Megumi looked back at him.
"On top of being paranoid, Danzou hates the Uchiha, but the only way he could possibly know about any subterfuge being planned by them would be to have a spy on the inside. In his mind, Itachi-kun would be insufficient. Whatever differences he may have with other clan members, the Uchiha are still his family and hold a part of his heart. No. Danzou would only be satisfied with a spy that had no ties to the clan, and therefore, no reason to withhold information from him. However, it would be critical that said spy was believed to be an Uchiha by the clan members themselves. Otherwise, he couldn't gain access to the frequent meetings held within Nakano Shrine. Before tonight, I never even suspected such a thing, but now, I am certain of it."
Although their expressions didn't change, Itachi idly thought that this woman could probably outthink Danzou himself, while Hiruzen became sharply aware of exactly why this woman specialized in behavioral analysis and why she had been considered an asset to Konoha during the war.
"If I am correct in assuming this, then I can also assume that Danzou is aware of the clan's plans for a coup d'tat." Megumi continued, "In that case, he could easily use that as an excuse to kill Aiko and I. The only way to avoid that is for the both of us to disappear."
"Disappear?" Hiruzen asked, raising a wrinkled brow.
"Yes." Megumi told him, "My husband was never in favor of the coup. When the time came, he intended to take our family and disappear in the chaos. It wasn't a plan I was particularly fond of, but now, I believe I have a better solution. With your permission, Lord Third, I would like to retire as a kunoichi, take my daughter, and leave Konoha."
"Where will you go?" Hiruzen asked.
"To a civilian village." She answered vaguely, "Aiko and I will renounce the name of Uchiha and become ordinary citizens. I've had the option of retiring for a long time now, and Aiko hasn't even entered the Academy yet, so it shouldn't cause a huge uproar."
"That would be acceptable to the village, but I am not so sure about the Uchiha." Hiruzen replied.
"As far as the clan knows, Aiko has not awakened the Sharingan, and since I am not a member of the clan myself, they will not have a just cause for keeping her bound to the clan." Megumi answered while turning to Itachi, "I'm certain that you can convince Izumi-chan not to say anything. She adores you." When Itachi nodded, Megumi turned back to the Hokage and bowed politely to him, "I am a kunoichi of Konoha. My duty is to protect the king; our children, the future of this village. But I am also a mother, and so the first child that I must protect is my daughter, who is the future that my husband died to save."
Hiruzen smiled a bit and nodded before he thoughtfully blew out a puff of smoke, "Very well. I will approve of your 'retirement' and leaving the village, effective immediately. When you leave, I will send a team of ANBU to secretly escort you until you are a few miles from Konoha. After that, you will be on your own. After all, if even I do not know where to find you, then neither will Danzou. From now on, your mission will to be protect Aiko until she is grown. After that, it will be up to her whether or not she returns to Konoha to rejoin the Uchiha clan."
"Understood."
愛の恵み
The following morning, Aiko finally opened her eyes. Feeling a bit disoriented, she sat up and looked around, then noticed Itachi sitting in the corner of her room, appearing to be asleep while sitting up. "Itachi-senpai...?" She asked hesitantly. The boy opened his eyes so calmly that Aiko questioned whether he had actually been asleep or not and gave the younger child a sad, gentle smile.
"Good morning. How are you feeling?" He asked.
Aiko furrowed her brow in thought, trying to remember exactly what had happened, or could've happened, that had some how resulted in the clan leader's son sleeping in her room as though he were guarding her. Images of the night before flashed in her mind, and she gasped. "Papa!"
Itachi frowned and stood up, walking over to Aiko and kneeling next to her, placing a hand on the panicked girl's shoulder to gain her attention. "Try to calm down. I understand you're upset, but if you don't calm yourself, you'll pass out again. You understand why, don't you?"
Aiko looked mildly confused, then realization entered her eyes and she nodded, seeming to regain some degree of level thinking.
Itachi turned his head, looking toward another part of the house. "I think your mother has breakfast ready. Shall we go eat?"
Aiko nodded slowly, and when Itachi held his hand out to her, she took hold of it and allowed him to help her up. As they left her bedroom, she clung tightly to his hand, obviously still afraid. They entered the dining room, where Megumi had just finished placing the last dish on the table, and she smiled weakly at the two of them.
"Good morning you two. You're just in time for breakfast." The woman informed them.
Aiko nodded to her mother and looked around in confusion, noting the strange emptiness of their house. "Mama, where is everything?" She asked as Itachi led her to the table and she sat down next to him.
Megumi smiled sadly at her daughter, "I've been busy since last night, packing all of our things into summoning scrolls."
"But why?" Aiko asked, picking up her chopsticks.
"Begin breakfast properly first." Megumi instructed.
Aiko nodded, clasping her hands together and bowing her head as her mother and Itachi did the same. "Itadakimasu." The three of them said simultaneously.
"Aiko," Megumi began as Aiko began to pick up food with her chopsticks, "Do you remember how we talked with Papa about moving away from Konoha to live in a civilian village somewhere?"
"Uh-huh." Aiko said with a nod. She swallowed her food and continued, "Because it was safer or something, right?"
Her mother nodded, "Well... you and I are going to be leaving a little sooner than planned." She said.
"How soon?"
"Today."
Aiko's eyes widened, and then she looked down at her food, her expression unreadable, even to Megumi. "Is this because I tried to bring Naruto-kun home to eat dinner with us last night?"
Megumi's eyes widened, and then she shook her head, reaching across the table to take her daughter's hands in her own, "It is because of what happened last night, but this is not some kind of punishment, honey. You did absolutely nothing wrong by inviting Naruto-chan to eat with us. However, what happened last night... has made me realize that Konoha is more dangerous than I originally thought. I've already packed most of our things. Chief Fugaku will be coming by soon, and then after that, we will leave."
"Why is the chief coming?" Aiko asked, looking confused and a bit uneasy. She looked at Itachi for answers, thinking that he might know if her mother didn't.
"...He wants you to tell him about what happened last night..." Itachi answered hesitantly.
"But why?" Aiko asked, "Couldn't he just hear that from you?"
"Aiko," Megumi cut in, "You know how you're always saying that the adults of the clan scare you?"
"The men do." Aiko replied with a nod.
"Well... Do you remember... how Shisui-kun passed away a few months ago?" Her mother asked, trying to be as sensitive to Itachi about this as she could.
Aiko nodded again, "He fell into the river, right?"
Mayumi nodded in confirmation, "That's right. However, there are some people who think that somebody else was involved, and, without any good reason, they think that Itachi is to blame."
"Huh?" Aiko replied in utter confusion, turning her head back to Itachi, "But you were best friends, right? Friends don't hurt friends. Papa said there was no way that you would ever try to hurt Shisui-senpai."
"That's right, Aiko." Megumi said, answering her child quickly so that Itachi wouldn't have to. "But these men are fools who don't like Itachi-kun, so they are blaming him on purely circumstantial evidence. So Chief Fugaku needs you to tell him what happened last night so that he can know for sure that Itachi-kun had nothing to do with your father's death, otherwise, they'll try to blame him for this too. I know you don't want to talk about it, but we need to help Itachi-kun, do you understand?"
Aiko nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "Yes Mama."
愛の恵み
Shortly after their meal had ended, Izumi arrived, and then Fugaku arrived a short while later, his subordinates, Yashiro, Tekka, and Inabi in tow, along with his wife.
"Sorry we took so long." Mikoto apologized to Megumi, "We had to wait until Sasuke left for the Academy."
"No, it's fine." Megumi assured her, "I had to finish some preparations anyway."
"But, why are you here, Hahaue?" Itachi asked in confusion.
"I asked her to come." Fugaku answered, "Your mother is better with children than these three are. Better with them than I am, for that matter." Itachi nodded in understanding. A few minutes later, Aiko sat between Itachi and Izumi on the floor of the living room with Fugaku and the others sitting across from them, and Megumi sitting to the side.
"Aiko-chan," Mikoto began gently, smiling softly to reassure the child, "Can you tell us about what happened last night?"
Aiko was clinging to Itachi's arm, but she slowly took a breath, nodded, and let go as she began to speak, casting her eyes toward her lap. "I met Uzumaki Naruto-kun while I was out playing yesterday and we played together, and then I invited him to have dinner with Mama, Papa, and I. We were playing in the woods, so we came into the compound from that direction. A man stopped us and got mad at me for inviting him. Something about Naruto-kun being the reason why people treat our clan badly, which I don't really understand... That's when Papa came and they started arguing about it. Papa didn't think I had done anything wrong. Then the man stabbed Papa with a kunai, and... I guess I screamed, because shortly after that, Itachi-senpai came. I don't really remember what happened after that, but I do remember that the man was talking as if... as if bringing Naruto-kun to the compound was some kind of crime against the village."
"Can you identify the man who killed your father?" Fugaku asked.
Aiko shook her head, "Papa called him Kagen, which I think... is the name of one of the grown-ups in the clan, right? The man did look like an Uchiha, but... if he were a member of the clan, then why would he say that the clan was using me to do something suspicious?"
"But you can confirm that it was not Itachi?" Mikoto asked, and Aiko looked up at the woman, nodding firmly without a hint of doubt in her eyes.
"I heard the two of them talking when Itachi-senpai came. Even if you use henge no jutsu, you can't make it sound as if you're having a conversation between yourself and somebody else, right?"
"Hm." Yashiro said thoughtfully, closing his eyes as though he disliked what Aiko was saying, but couldn't deny the child's logic in this case.
"Itachi," Fugaku said while looking at his son, "Tell us what happened from your point-of-view."
Itachi nodded and began to explain, "I was walking with Izumi when we heard voices arguing. I couldn't tell what the argument was about, but when I heard Aiko-chan scream, I rushed to the location to investigate. When I got there, I found Uchiha Nichi-san on the ground with a kunai on his stomach, Aiko-chan kneeling beside him. There was indeed a man there who was disguised as Uchiha Kagen, but I could tell right away that he was an imposter. Naruto-kun was standing nearby, but he was in shock, and I don't think he even noticed my arrival."
"I'm assuming that the man in question fled." Yashiro remarked, opening his eyes again and glaring at Itachi, "Why didn't you pursue him?"
"I felt that attending to the safety of Aiko-chan and Naruto-kun was more important, so I prioritized that over pursuing the assailant." Itachi replied flatly.
"Itachi-kun was of higher rank than anybody else present at that time." Megumi pointed out, "Izumi-chan is only a genin, Naruto-chan is currently in the Academy with Sasuke-chan, and Aiko has not started at the Academy yet, but Itachi-kun is a chuunin and a member of the ANBU. You can't fault him for making the call to prioritize the children's safety over apprehending the man who killed my husband. It was his call to make."
Yashiro glared at the woman in slight annoyance, but Fugaku made a motion for him to let the matter go and looked at Izumi. "Izumi, can you confirm Itachi's story?"
Izumi nodded, "Yes. I never saw the man who attacked Nichi-ojisan, but Itachi-kun was with me when we heard the argument and Aiko-chan's scream. He's faster than me though, so he got there before I did. I never saw the man who was responsible."
"We should find Uzumaki Naruto then and question him about the incident." Inabi remarked.
"I'm afraid that won't be an option." Itachi stated, "I could see that what he had witnessed would've scarred Naruto-kun severely, so I used genjutsu to erase his memory of the event."
"That won't stop us from using the Sharingan to check." Tekka pointed out.
"No." Fugaku said firmly, "Itachi acted out of sight from public view and his actions were likely necessary to preserve the seal. However, if a member of the Police Force were to approach Naruto in public and attempt to use the Sharingan to view his memories, it could weaken the seal and give the village reason to accuse us. Besides, this is not an official investigation of the Police Force. We were only speaking to these three to alleviate any suspicions that Itachi was somehow responsible."
"With regards to that, Chief, I would like to offer my insights into the Shisui case." Megumi said from where she was sitting.
All four men from the Police Force looked at her in surprise.
"The Shisui Case?" Tekka repeated.
"You haven't been assigned to that case. What insights could you have to offer?" Yashiro questioned.
"I work within the Police Force as a behaviorist. I do not need the full details of the case to be able to offer insight." Megumi replied evenly.
"I'm listening." Fugaku told her.
"...I believe that the investigators in charge should drop Itachi-kun as their primary suspect." Megumi stated.
"On what grounds?" Inabi asked suspiciously.
"Lack of substantial evidence for one thing." Megumi replied, "You marked him as a suspect on the grounds that he was the only other person absent from the clan meeting that night. However, shortly before that incident, I happened to see Sasuke-chan on his way to the Academy. He looked deeply troubled, so I asked him what was wrong. He told me that he had been awoken the night before by an argument between the Chief and Itachi-kun regarding the meeting in question. From what Sasuke-chan had overheard, Itachi-kun had informed his parents beforehand that he would not be attending the meeting that night. Is that information correct, Chief?"
Fugaku closed his eyes, seeming irritated, but he answered, "Yes. I didn't realize that Sasuke had overheard that much..."
"Even so, what of it?" Tekka asked, and Megumi shifted her gaze back to the three men.
"Only a moron of a criminal would announce his intentions to be absent from an important event before committing murder, and we all know that Itachi-kun is far from unintelligent." She stated. "I believe that you should shift the investigation to consider the possibility that the culprit was in fact, not a member of the Uchiha Clan."
"On what grounds?" Inabi questioned.
"Shisui-kun's eyes." Megumi replied, "The fact that his eyes were missing is the only reason to believe that it was not truly a suicide in the first place. That being said, Itachi-kun would've had absolutely no reason for taking Shisui-kun's eyes. It makes far more sense that somebody from outside the clan would have targeted him for that reason. Your other grounds for suspecting Itachi-kun was that he could've used used the Sharingan to forge Shisui-kun's suicide note, however, the same can be said of literally any person who wields the Sharingan, as long as they could locate a copy of Shisui-kun's handwriting, which could likely be found within his house. In that regard, it is far more plausible that somebody attacked Shisui in order to take his eyes, transplanted one of them into themselves, and then forged the note."
"But if somebody from outside the clan had taken Shisui's eyes, the transplanted Sharingan would be noticed." Tekka pointed out.
"Not if it was somebody who had lost an eye previously." Megumi told him, "Think about it. When a Sharingan is transplanted to somebody who is not a member of the Uchiha Clan, it remains constantly active and constantly consumes chakra unless the eye is closed or covered. With that in mind, what person, in their right mind, would choose to replace both their eyes with stolen Sharingan?"
"If that were the case, why take both his eyes?" Yashiro asked.
"A backup, perhaps." Megumi answered, "Or perhaps Shisui-kun got away and entrusted his remaining eye to Itachi-kun. He would not have had to meet with Itachi-kun to do so, because he used ravens as a summon, and so does Itachi-kun. Isn't the normal procedure amongst the Uchiha that when a member of the clan is killed, a comrade retrieves their eyes?"
At this point, Mikoto spoke up, "Megumi-san is right. Wasn't the real reason that Itachi lashed out when you accused him of killing Shisui because he was already mourning the death of his friend, only for you three to say that he was to blame?" She shook her head at them reproachfully, "The three of you accused Itachi without sufficient evidence. You jumped to a conclusion because you are angry at him for voicing his disagreement in the meetings at Nakano Shrine."
"It's as my wife said." Fugaku remarked while turning a sharp eye toward his subordinates, "I've stayed out of it up until now, but in the face of what Megumi said, I can say without bias that Itachi likely had nothing to do with Shisui's death. Itachi is careful to keep his emotions in check, so the reason for his outburst that day is probably exactly as Mikoto said. The three of you are investigators. You should not jump to conclusions or allow personal bias to cloud your judgement."
All three men, especially Yashiro, appeared angry, but they nonetheless bowed their heads to Fugaku in acknowledgement of his reprimand. "Understood."
Megumi sighed, appearing slightly less tense, and then looked back at Fugaku and Mikoto, "My thoughts on this matter have been troubling me for some time. Thank you for hearing me out. I would not have wanted to turn in my resignation without voicing my concerns to you."
At this, Fugaku and Mikoto both looked surprised. "Resignation?" Fugaku asked.
Megumi nodded and held a scroll out to him, "As of today, I am resigning from the Konoha Police Force and retiring as a kunoichi. My daughter and I will be leaving to go and live in a more rural part of the Land of Fire, where it will be safer for her. We will also be leaving the name Uchiha behind when we go."
"Wait a minute!" Yashiro exclaimed, "You're one thing; you married in. But Aiko is a member of the Uchiha Clan!"
"Aiko is half-Uchiha." Megumi replied bluntly, "There is no guarantee that she will ever develop the Sharingan, and without that, you have no grounds for keeping her bound to the clan." She turned and looked at Fugaku and Mikoto again, bowing respectfully to them, "Please do not misunderstand. I am grateful to the Uchiha for all they have done in accepting my marriage to Nichi and allowing me to join the Police Force. However, in light of what has happened, I must prioritize my daughter's safety above all else. There are still members of the Shimura clan who hate me for marrying an Uchiha and leaving. They hate Aiko still more for being a descendant of both clans. So I must go somewhere where she can be safe. Where she can grow up without the dangers and strife that being 'bound' to a clan entail. We may return one day, when she is older, but for now, this is what we must do."
Fugaku closed his eyes, appearing thoughtful, but when Mikoto placed a hand on his shoulder, he looked at her, and something unspoken passed between them. He nodded and then looked back at Megumi, "We understand. Thank you for your service in these past years."
愛の恵み
Sometime later, Aiko and Megumi headed toward the A-un Gate with Itachi, who was seeing them off when a young voice called out, "Hey! Aiko-chan!"
"Huh?" Aiko turned and looked as Naruto abruptly leapt down from a nearby rooftop and landed in front of her. "Naruto-kun." She replied, her eyes slightly confused, "Shouldn't you be at the Academy by now? Sasuke-senpai left more than an hour ago..."
"Eh, I know a shortcut." Naruto said with a cheerful shrug, "Besides, the Uchiha Compound is way farther from the Academy than my apartment."
Aiko's face turned a bit sour and she looked down to the side, "Don't remind me..." She remarked bitterly.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto asked in confusion, "You don't even go there yet."
"And I'm afraid I never will..."
"Huh?"
Aiko turned her shiny black eyes back to the older child, tears welling up in them, "Mama and I are leaving Konoha, Naruto-kun."
"Eh?! Why?!" Naruto asked in surprise.
Aiko's gaze fell and she pursed her lips, "Because grown-ups make things way too complicated, that's why."
Itachi's eyes widened and he whispered to Megumi, "Just how much does she know?" He was referring, of course, to the tumultuous state of the Uchiha Clan and their tense relationship with the rest of Konoha.
"Nearly everything." Megumi replied quietly, "She's incredibly perceptive and observant for her age. That's why she was always sneaking out to play in the woods."
"Man! This stinks!" Naruto exclaimed. "You're my first friend ever and now you're leaving!"
Megumi smiled sadly and knelt down to the child, "I know it's hard, Naruto-chan, but I'm certain that you will make other friends. You have a good heart, just like your parents. You just need to give people time to realize that."
Naruto's eyes widened at her words, "You knew my parents?! Can you tell me about them?!"
Megumi smiled softly and she looked thoughtful, "Let's see... I can't tell you their names, but I can tell you what they were like. Your mother was..." She chuckled, "Rather loud and rambunctious, just like you. And like you, she was kind of a misfit because people didn't really like loud, rambunctious girls back then. But truthfully, most of us girls admired her, because she wasn't afraid to be herself." She laughed, "And your father... hm... he had a warm and calming presence. You remind me a lot of him in that regard. There's something about you that is warm and bright. And just like you, your father was always willing to watch out for those who were weaker than himself. And he was a man... who wasn't willing to give up on his dreams." She smiled at Naruto gently and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Most important of all, your parents loved you more than life itself. Nothing could've ever meant more to them than you did. I'm certain that there will be sad times and tough times in the future for you as well, but... No matter what, never give up on your dreams, Naruto-chan. Chase after them with everything you have, even if it doesn't seem like its enough. And never stop trying to reach out and connect with others. Always try to help those who aren't strong enough to get through hardship on their own. If you do, I'm certain that someday you will forge unbreakable bonds with the people around you. Bonds that nobody can sever, no matter how they might try. And don't ever, ever give up on somebody, for it is only when you turn your back on someone that they are truly lost to you. Remember, hope is only lost when you have let go of it, and even then, it can be found again."
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, before sadness filled his features, but he smiled through it and nodded. "Yeah!"
Megumi stood up and Aiko hugged Naruto tightly, "Goodbye, Naruto-kun. I hope we meet again someday." She released the Uzumaki boy and then took her mother's hand, continuing on their path to the A-un Gate.
"That's the first time I've seen an adult express such concern for him or treat him with such kindness." Itachi remarked quietly, and Megumi smiled softly, easily picking up that the preteen also felt concerned for the orphaned outcast.
"Truthfully, when his parents died, Nichi and I wanted to take care of him ourselves, but... It just wasn't possible, under the circumstances."
"Mama, why don't people want Naruto-kun to be near the Uchiha Clan?" Aiko asked, picking up on her mother's meaning, but still not knowing the reason behind it.
"I'll tell you about it some other time, Aiko. I don't want the problems that we adults have created to give you any more burdens than they already have." They stopped upon reaching the A-un gate, and turned to their young escort, "Thank you for everything in the past day, Itachi-kun." Megumi said warmly.
"There is no need to thank me." Itachi replied, "But thank you for clearing my name with regards to Shisui's death."
She smiled weakly at them, "Of course. My husband was never bold enough to voice his dissent in the meetings at the shrine, but he could tell that you and Shisui-kun were of the same mind on that matter. That's why he told me it was impossible that you would ever attempt to harm him. You aren't the type who would hurt somebody in order to gain power."
Something like surprise seemed to pass through Itachi's eyes, followed by a sadness that only Megumi could perceive. "Yeah."
"Itachi-senpai, thank you for saving me last night." Aiko said to the older Uchiha.
Itachi smiled gently and knelt down to her level, "Please don't speak so formerly." He told her.
"Then... Itachi-niichan!" She said with a smile, before leaning forward and hugging him, "Goodbye, Itachi-niichan."
Itachi looked a bit surprised, but he carefully returned the embrace and nodded, "Goodbye Aiko-chan. I wish you well."
愛の恵み
Approximately one year later, Aiko was playing in the woods near her new home when she sensed a familiar presence. Looking up, she spotted Itachi and her face instantly broke into a smile. "Itachi-niichan!" She exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace the older Uchiha.
Itachi smiled sadly, placing a hand on the young girl's head before looking up at Megumi as she approached cautiously. Seeing the pain in Itachi's eyes, Megumi seemed to understand something without him saying it and offered him a wry smile. "Why don't you come in for some tea?"
Later that night, Megumi sat in the main room of her house with Itachi after Aiko had gone to bed. "I heard what happened." She told him, "But can I ask... why?"
Itachi looked down at the floor. "The clan was moving forward with the coup. I was the only one who could stop it without causing further unrest. If... If I had not... Sasuke..."
"I see..." Megumi said quietly, her eyes drifting toward the floor as well, "If you refused the assignment, everyone would die, but if you accepted it, your clan could still hope to survive."
Itachi nodded gravely and Megumi sighed, "It's just like Danzou to come up with a reason like that..." Slowly, the woman moved forward and gently embraced Itachi, much to his surprise.
"It's okay to cry, Itachi-kun." Mayumi told him gently, "The Uchiha often believe tears to be a sign of weakness, but that isn't the case. Certainly, there are times when you should avoid it. In front of your enemies for example. However, if you don't allow yourself to cry and to grieve, you will end up destroying your humanity, and becoming somebody that you never wanted to be. My husband once said that the Uchiha have a bad habit of trying to bear their burdens alone, and that ultimately destroyed them. Don't try to bear your pain alone, Itachi-kun. You won't survive."
Before he even realized it, tears were falling down Itachi's cheeks, and he clung to the woman who, in that moment, reminded him so much of his beloved mother.
愛の恵み
"Itachi-niichan!" Aiko called the next day, running after Itachi as he prepared to leave and grabbing onto his cloak. The teenager turned to look at the little one, who was gazing up at him earnestly with her large, black eyes. "Will you train me?"
"Train you?" Itachi asked, careful not to let Aiko see the pain that her question had brought.
The little girl nodded, "I want to learn how to use the Sharingan, but Mama can't teach me because... well... she doesn't know."
"I see." Itachi said, looking away in thought, before shaking his head. "Not this time, Aiko. I need to return to my mission. But I'll come visit you again and I'll teach you about the Sharingan then, okay?"
"Okay!" The child chirped happily.
So, originally this was going to be a one-shot, but it was getting to be too long, so I decided to break it into parts based on age. It will probably have four parts all together. Just so we are clear, Itachi does not think of Aiko in the same way that he does Sasuke. He does feel a certain attachment to her as the only member of his clan that he did not have to kill besides Sasuke, due to her not living in Konoha and technically not having the Uchiha name, but he doesn't view her as a sister. To him, she is more of a younger clan member that he feels a responsibility to look after to a certain degree, partly because she has nobody else to learn about things like the Sharingan from. Any pairings that appear in this story will be canon to the actual series.
Originally Aiko's mother was Mayumi, but I have since changed it to Megumi. However, it's possible that I missed an instance or two where her old name appears.
EDIT 12/19/18: I added in the actual questioning from the Police Force. I was originally going to omit it, but then I realized that it was relevant to another chapter later on, so I added it back in. It made the chapter much longer. ;
EDIT 01/22/19: I added in a scene with Aiko saying goodbye to Naruto, which I had meant to include to start with. Not only does it not make sense for her to not say goodbye to her friend in some way, but I also felt that somewhere along the line, somebody must've encouraged Naruto for him to even survive being in the Academy without losing his mind. ;