The history of Konoha may have been short, but it was a tumultuous one. It was founded on the empty hopes of striking gold in the foothills of the endless valley, and it was this once shining hope that only led to chaos and destruction.
As miners came from miles around looking to strike it rich, a semblance of a town began to form, but without any of the laws or regulations a town required. Crime was running rampant, and if any lucky miner did happen to make a fortunate discovery he was likely to be quickly murdered for the price of a couple beers. The West was a generally dangerous place, but Konoha was quickly developing a reputation as one of the most formidable places of all.
The town gained new hope when two young lawyers happened to travel by, a hope that did not revolve around riches but instead revolved around the idea of becoming a community and peaceful oasis within the dry valley. The young men spoke of order and law, and they spoke so convincingly that even the stubbornest of miners couldn't help but listen.
The man named Minato was especially well liked in the community, much to the jealousy of his friend Fugaku Uchiha. Minato Namikaze was kind and gentle to the residents of Konoha, but he was also very well trained with a rifle. He was unanimously named Sheriff by the members of the town, but instead took the title of deputy so his friend could be sheriff, knowing that Fugaku desired the position much more than he did. Even though he had the position he wanted, Fugaku still felt a burning grudge to see the love that the town had for Minato, knowing full well that they did not feel the same towards him. He continued to feel threatened by the deputy's position, but didn't dare speak against the beloved deputy.
For years Konoha prospered under the watchful care of its two protectors, but it was this very abundance that led to turmoil in the growing town, for where there is peace chaos may soon follow.
Having heard of the town's affluent mining industry, a gang of rogue bandits who called themselves the Akatsuki rode in to town one night on black steeds, carrying torches and guns ablaze. The gang consisted of only five men, so Fugaku and Minato thought they would be able to drive them off. They steered them away from the main buildings and managed to shoot down two of them when the unthinkable happened: Fugaku shot Minato.
Fugaku's heart almost stopped as he watched his friend fall ungracefully off his horse and lay limply on the ground. If any of the town discovered what happened, he knew he could never show his face in Konoha again. Time seemed to stand still in that moment as Fugaku turned pale considering the repercussions of his misfire that led to him shooting the beloved town hero, but he was quickly snapped back in to reality when a shot fired close to his head.
Fugaku then fought with a new intensity, shooting down two more of the bandits until the last one ran away scared. When it was over he stepped off his horse and dared to look at his fallen comrade. Even though the town had no idea he was the one who had shot him, the sheriff couldn't stand the idea of the whole town mourning for Minato instead of celebrating Fugaku's victory. Years of jealousy and discontent stewed inside him, and he knew what he had to do for him and the town's peace of mind.
"Minato was a traitor," he announced to the town as they gathered outside. "He is the one who led these bandits here, promising them our precious mines for a share of the wealth!"
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Shikaku asked suspiciously, a miner well known for his intellect.
"I am your sheriff, I would not lie to you," Fugaku answered, somehow able to keep his voice strong despite the fear within him. "When we were lawyers together Minato was never an honorable man, and I had known him to have frequent dealings with bandits before. I thought he had changed when he came here, but... looks like I was wrong."
"NO! It can't be true!" a redhead shrieked as she ran out of the crowd and knelt at Minato's body. "Minato was a good man, Fugaku is lying!"
"Kushina, I know it must be hard for you to hear of your husband's treachery... especially when you are with child, but I am only interested in the welfare of this town. If you check Minato's pockets, perhaps you will find some evidence for what I have told you."
Kushina hesitantly patted Minato's pockets and pulled out a sack, opening it up to peer inside. "It's... full of gold."
The crowd murmured amongst itself as Fugaku nodded grimly. "The truth can be unfortunate sometimes, but we must face it as we have bravely faced so many other obstacles as a town."
"Minato wasn't like that, he didn't care about wealth or power," Kushina cried, shaking her head. She then cried even louder, clutching her stomach. Mikoto Uchiha, Fugaku's wife, moved out of the crowd to hold Kushina.
"Kushina, please do not work yourself up so much. Think of the baby," the dark-haired woman comforted.
"The baby... is coming," Kushina grunted.
And so the same night that Minato left the world, Naruto entered it. The delivery was difficult and extremely painful, but no one could tell if Kushina died due to complications with the birth or if it was due to a broken heart. Either way, it was Konoha's darkest night thus far, until one night 7 years later caused more pain than could have been imagined.
"Big brother, tell me again of the night that Father drove off those bandits!"
"Sasuke, I've told you that story about a million times. Besides, I was only 4 so I barely remember anything," Itachi explained, but it didn't stop Sasuke from continuing to give him puppy dog eyes. "I'm sure Dad would be able to tell it a lot better than me, so maybe you should go ask him."
"He's always busy with things," Sasuke said, absentmindedly kicking a rock on the path home from the small Konoha school house.
"Well, he is the Sheriff, and as the Sheriff he has a lot of responsibility to protect all of us... Just like he did 7 years ago," Itachi replied patiently, putting an arm around his kid brother. Something else had caught Sasuke's eye, however, so he quickly forgot about his mission to hear the bandit story again.
"Look over there, Itachi," Sasuke said, pointing at a boy running across the schoolyard as their teacher chased him angrily. "Naruto's up to no good again. He's just like his dad, isn't he... the traitor." By then the story of Minato's betrayal of the town had become infamous, and so had his son. The town was conflicted on how to treat Naruto, for though his father was certainly a traitor Naruto himself was not to blame. Most of the town simply ignored him, while others were more outwardly cruel towards the boy.
"It is not our place to judge him," Itachi said, shaking his head. "Perhaps he acts out all the time to get attention. After all, he is an orphan and is not as fortunate as you and I to have a loving home."
"Maybe... but he's still a loser," Sasuke conceded.
"Perhaps you should try playing with him some time? You two are in the same grade, aren't you?"
"I already said he's a loser, so why would I want to be friends with a guy like that!" Sasuke crossed his arms and pouted.
"Well, what about playing with those two?" Itachi pointed to a chubby boy and dark-haired kid walking nearby.
"Shikamaru and Chouji? They're no fun."
"Hmmm, but what about them?" This time Itachi pointed to a blonde and a pink-haired girl giggling nearby.
"They're girls!"
"Sasuke, you really should try to make friends with at least some of the kids your age," Itachi said with a soft smile, rubbing his little brother on the head.
"Why would I want to play with any of them when I have a cool big brother like you I can play with!" Sasuke said. "Now are you gonna tell me the story about Father and the bandits!"
"I told you, ask Dad!"
At that moment Fugaku Uchiha was sitting alone in his office in the Sheriff's department, head buried in his hands and a light sweat on his forehead. Konoha had been very peaceful ever since that night and had flourished even more under his careful watch. But it was this exact peace that unnerved him.
Right at that moment when the town had everything to lose was when he most expected for the Akatsuki to return. Last time only one guy had gotten out alive, but since then Fugaku had heard whispers... rumors of the once small gang becoming a large and dangerous organization terrorizing the West. Whether he realized it or not, Fugaku had grown obsessive in his unresolved fears, and deep down he could never shake the gnawing guilt he carried for Minato's murder.
It had been an accident, he told himself. The gun simply misfired, I was really aiming for the bandits. But no matter how much he tried to believe it he could never truly convince himself.
Fugaku really did care deeply for Konoha and would do absolutely anything to protect it and his family. The townspeople may not have loved him as much as they loved Minato, but they had really grown to respect and admire their leader. It was his job to protect them under any means necessary, and with this in mind Fugaku had felt it was time to take drastic measures to defend his beloved town.
A month ago he had contacted the leader of the Akatsuki in secret. Fugaku had worked out a deal with the gang: if he gave them a portion of the material they mined, they would stay away from the town. Minato would have never made such a deal, which is why the Uchiha knew he was a better leader than his friend could have ever been. Sometimes you had to do unpleasant things for a good outcome.
"Father, are you here?" a small voice echoed in the building, causing Fugaku to jump in his seat.
"Oh, it's only you Sasuke," the man said, seeing his 7 year old son standing in the doorway.
"Itachi sent me over here cuz he wouldn't tell me about the story with the bandits. He said I should ask you about it," Sasuke said, moving to the other side of the room to look out the window. "Um... Father? Who are those strange men riding in to town?"
Fugaku leaped out of his seat to see a group of 20 or so men in black cloaks riding in to town, torches ablaze in almost the exact fashion as 7 years ago. His face whitened and he lingered at the window for only a moment before he closed the curtain and leaped in to action, grabbing his gun and hat and rushing out the door. The Akatsuki have fallen back on their word... how could this have happened.
"Stay here, Sasuke, no matter what," he yelled back at his son as he rushed out the building. And that was the last Sasuke saw of his father, on the night where everything was taken away from him.
This chapter is really just setting the scene for the rest of the story, so I promise things will pick up next chapter. Yeah, so sorry if this is slow! I've already outlined the next chapter so I should be done with it within the next couple days.
This is my first fanfiction so any reviews are really really appreciated! Like I said, this story will really pick up and get a lot better starting next chapter.
