Sasuke had gotten up from the table when he heard Itachi's raised voice. He didn't want his brother getting in any more trouble. But as Sasuke stood up, his father walked into the kitchen. Fugaku took one look at Sasuke, and immediately knew where his son was planning on going. "Sit," he said firmly. "Don't interfere." Sasuke seemed to shrink seven times, and he knelt back down at the table, half-eaten cookie in hand. He said nothing; he knew that his father wouldn't hear of it. Fugaku breezed right past Sasuke, face set in stone and impossible to read. Sasuke sat at the table, trying to just sit and eat his cookie. He couldn't allow himself to get too worked up about it; he knew Fugaku needed to discipline his son, but letting him get arrested?! Sasuke knew his father would soon face a difficult decision: putting himself first in a position as Itachi's father, or as his boss. It was a position Fugaku never should have placed himself in, because it led to situations like these. Sasuke found his gaze in his lap, and his cookie gone. He swallowed the last bit, and then sat as quietly as he could to hear what was going on in the front hall. Fugaku's voice was easy to pick out: his was the loudest of all the voices, with Inabi's in a close second, and Itachi's the quietest.
But also the deadliest.
"How dare you?" he was growling, at both Inabi and his father. "You can't arrest me; I'm an ANBU!"
"We have a warrant, directly from Hokage-sama!" Yashiro protested. "We may arrest you. It doesn't matter that you're a minor; you are an ANBU first."
Itachi's eyes narrowed in anger. "And you think I'll just go quietly, huh?" he breathed, still seething with murderous intent. "I'm not exactly in a cheery mood right now, thanks to your ridiculous stunt earlier. Leave now, and you may leave with your bowels!"
"Itachi, that's enough," Fugaku said firmly. "Go with them. We'll sort this out with Hokage-sama; no lives need to be lost."
"I'm not speaking in terms of lives," Itachi said slowly. "I'm speaking in terms of internal organs."
"Itachi, just…" Fugaku sighed, putting one hand over his face. "Just go with them, and we'll see what happens, okay?"
Itachi still seemed rather stubborn. He dug in his heels, folded his arms across his chest, and gave a short, curt reply: "No."
Inabi was out of patience at that point. He lunged forward, at Itachi's turned back, metal glistening in his palm. Itachi spun around, catching sight of Inabi and whatever he held in his hand. Itachi's first thought was a kunai; he raised his hand, catching Inabi's hand in his own and pushing back. But, surprisingly, there was no pointed end to slide between his spread fingers. Itachi caught sight of the treacherous loop of metal too late, and it flicked out around his wrist, fastening with a click. Itachi recognized the threat immediately: handcuffs! He reached out, searching for his chakra to form a jutsu. His heart skipped a beat when he did, though: he couldn't feel his chakra! What the hell was with-? The handcuffs. It hit Itachi like a freaking brick. He had made arrests so many times, he had almost forgotten that handcuffs used in shinobi arrests had chakra restraints wrapped around the chain. If he could just get the damn seal off, he could fight back-! But no. Itachi knew that he was in trouble the second he was shoved into the wall, and the feeling of cold metal brushed his other palm. Itachi knew that three more people were on him, simply by counting the hands on his body. One on each shoulder; two more searching for hidden weapons; one on each arm, holding him still as two more hands pushed the handcuffs closed and locked them around Itachi's slender wrists. Itachi gave up at that point: four to one, and him with no chakra and very limited use of his hands. He would get more than a little roughed up, he knew. Itachi was stubborn, but he wasn't stupid.
"You stupid kid," Inabi was saying. "Don't even deserve the hearing Hokage-sama is giving you. You're just a spoiled little kid whose skill has gone to his head."
Inabi's speech was halted by a hand on his shoulder. "Don't provoke him," Fugaku advised, and gently suggested to Inabi, with a gentle pull, that he go someplace else. Yashiro moved in, taking Itachi's right elbow and guiding him away from the house. But, strangely, Itachi put up no further fuss. He walked silently, staring at the ground, bangs hanging over his face in something resembling shame. Fugaku walked beside his son as he was marched down the streets; all the way to Hokage's Tower-on the complete opposite side of town. Itachi could feel the stares on his body, completely stripping him down and making judgments. He could almost feel the labels being slapped on his forehead as he walked down the road. Still, he remained silent, not putting up even another word of protest. Fugaku was surprised; Itachi, so full of fire and spirit and passion just a moment before, was now quieter than ever. Fugaku had never seen him this quiet. But it really wasn't fair of the other officers to parade him through the streets in such a manner. They were practically begging Itachi to kill them. As if Itachi needed temptation.
He wears his heart
safety pinned to his backpack
His backpack is all that he knows
Shot down by strangers
whose glances can cripple
the heart and devour the soul
Finally, the group arrived at the Hokage's Tower. Tekka presented the two sentries outside the door with the papers of Itachi's arrest, including the papers for the hearing Sandaime had granted Itachi. The guards waved them through, and Itachi finally lifted his head. He suddenly seemed to be the same Itachi, full of pride, almost vanity. His hair fell away from his face; his eyes flashed again with the same defiant spark that usually preceded a killing.
All alone he turns to stone
while holding his breath after death
Terrified of what's inside
to save his life he crawls
like a worm from a bird
crawls like a worm from a bird
"In."
Yashiro had opened a door, and motioned Itachi inside. Itachi stepped in, and Tekka, Yashiro, Inabi, and Fugaku all stepped in behind him. Inabi gripped Itachi's right upper arm, Tekka his left, and the two pulled him forward towards a raised desk at the far end of the room. Behind it, sitting in a large chair, was Sandaime, a crystal ball on a pillow in front of him. The old man was sitting forward, elbows braced on the desk and hands folded in front of his face. His fingers were laced together in front of the lower half of his face, hiding all but his stormy eyes. His gray eyes were fixated on Itachi, staring at him coldly, almost cruelly. Itachi was stopped halfway across the room, and the two Uchiha police who had accompanied him thus far remained standing next to him, both of them holding his arms. Sandaime rose from his seat, bracing both of his hands on the desk in front of himself, shoulders' width apart.
"May I ask what you were thinking?"
Out of his mind the way
pushes him whispering
must have been out of his mind
new day delusions are
pushing this out of his head
maybe out of his mind
Itachi shrugged ambiguously. "Well, actually I was just thinking about what I was going to do for dinner," he said lightly. "I know we have rice and vegetables, but I'm not sure if we have steak. That would be nice, over the rice, if I steamed it-"
"Itachi, don't get smart with me," Sandaime warned. "I have given you certain allowances that I can certainly revoke, and will in a heartbeat if I feel necessary. Now, are you planning on cooperating, or not?"
All alone he turns to stone
while holding his breath after death
Terrified of what's inside
to save his life he
crawls like a worm from a bird
crawls like a worm from a bird
Itachi shrugged. "Ask a question; I'll answer. Occasionally, I'll ask you a question to prove a point, or simply out of curiosity. Does that sound fair?"
Sandaime sighed. "Fair enough," he replied, "for Uchiha pride. Now, what were your reasons for attacking Tekka, Yashiro, and Inabi?"
"Long story short," Itachi began slowly, "They were accusing me unfairly of murder, and trespassing on private property. They were interrogating me without a warrant."
All he knows
If he can't relieve it, it grows
and so it goes
he crawls like a worm
crawls like a worm from the bird
Sandaime gave a small hum of affirmation, glancing at Tekka, on Itachi's left. "And, Tekka, were you in charge of this interrogation?"
Tekka shook his head. "Not I; Inabi." He gave Itachi a sidelong glance, but said nothing to directly address the teen. "But, Itachi agreed to be questioned, and so we proceeded to ask him questions in a non-invasive manner. We were not a step into his house."
"But you were on my front doorsteps," Itachi said coolly. "Which, technically, is still my property. And, so, you were trespassing. And I did not agree to be questioned, ever. I simply said nothing in regards to such until now."
Out of his mind the way
pushes him whispering
must have been out of his mind
Sandaime glared at Tekka. "If he did not agree to be questioned, you should not have spoken with him," he said quietly. "But Itachi, if you did not want these people on your property, did you instruct them to leave?"
"I did," Itachi said smoothly. He and every other Uchiha in the room, save for his father, knew he was lying straight through his teeth. All that remained was for Sandaime to decide who he believed. Itachi went on. "And they started to leave, but felt the need to provoke me further on their way out. We exchanged words, and I struck them down. I do not approve of being disrespected in such a way."
All alone he turns to stone
while holding his breath after death
Terrified of what's inside
to save his life he crawls
like a worm from a bird
crawls like a worm from a bird
Fugaku watched his son in astonishment. He had reacted…so coldly…! He hadn't even batted an eye when he answered Sandaime in regards to the attacks-he had simply told him, and very flatly, what had happened. Fugaku had known Itachi was distant, and tended to simply lay all his cards on the table at once, but this…this was astounding! Who was this boy…man…teen…what was Itachi, anyway? In years, he was but thirteen. But in maturity, he was ancient. Fugaku hardly knew what to consider his own son anymore. He hardly even recognized him as his son-! Itachi had always been loyal to his clan, and put his duty fist. But this was immature beyond even a ten year old's years-no, not even. A ten year old's actions, but not a ninja. No ninja would ever do something do foolish, destructive, immature, thoughtless-oh, Fugaku could go on and on and on. He could hardly find the words to even begin with Itachi. But, fortunately, he didn't have to. Sandaime would handle it…
All alone
he's holding his breath after death
Terrified to save his life
he crawls like a worm
Crawls like a worm from a bird
crawls like a worm from a bird
crawls like a worm from a bird
crawls like a worm
crawls like a worm
crawls like a worm from a bird
Itachi could hardly stand himself anymore. Well, this was a fine mess he had gotten himself into. But, with luck and skill, he could wiggle his way out of it. He raised his eyes to Sandaime, speaking with confidence and almost cockiness: "I couldn't believe the forwardness and directness of the police as they accused me of murdering my best friend. And then, they proceeded to pick a fight with me-right in front of my baby brother! I'm sure you know him: Sasuke. Traumatized, doubtless, because he had to watch his brother defend himself against charges of-dare I-murder?!"
"Itachi, that's quite enough," Sandaime snapped. "House arrest, a month. The rest of you, go about your normal business, but please do not speak to Itachi, except in dire need of such. Itachi, you will only be called upon for missions if you are absolutely needed. You are not to leave your house for any reason, except with express written consent of myself and supervision of someone of my approval. I will tell you know, a fellow ANBU or a family member other than Tekka, Yashiro, and Inabi is acceptable. But please confirm it with me first." Sandaime sat down, waving a hand at the group.
"All dismissed. Remove Itachi's handcuffs, and allow him to return home."
Itachi was smirking as he walked out of the room.
A/N: I was so unbelievably floored by the number of reviews this story got immediately! And it's getting a ton of hits and visitors-you all have no idea how flattered I am! : ) Please keep up the good work; it makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Song is The Bird and the Worm by The Used.