A/N: A special thanks to everyone who reviewed: dumdeedum, Sasha545 and blackmoon124


Chapter Two

Matters of Succession

a.k.a "It's like something straight out of Icha Icha."


It was an immense domed structure built into a mountainside to the north of Konoha, known to the clan as their secret meeting place. A fortress more suited for defending against a siege than for hosting a simple Uchiha clan meeting. Though, the belligerent stares of their clansmen promised that this would be anything but a simple clan meeting.

The structure may have been secret generations ago before the founding of Konoha, but it was secret no longer. Hidden rooms bearing tapestries and frescos were scattered throughout the building. They revealed their secrets only to the clan's red eyes.

The Uchiha clan guarded its secrets zealously, so this meeting took place outside the village just as the sun was rising. In this way, the clan members could return to their usual routine in the village with no one the wiser.

In the center of the building there was a large room where the clan often held meetings. As their clan has grown through the years, the large room was now cramped with clan members elbowing each other for space. Several of the oldest and best respected members sat to the front of the room, Uchiha Kagami front and center. One of the oldest members of the clan and a member of the Konoha small council, Kagami was almost equal to the clan head in importance. The retired shinoibi knew this fact well.

To the front of the room was a raised dais with an ancient stone throne sitting alone in the center. Itachi sat on the throne looking very stiff and formal despite the fact he was wearing the standard black shirt and pants common to Konoha shinobi. The Uchiha fan was prominent on the sleeves of his black shirt instead of the Uzushiogakure swirl common to the other ninja's fatigues. As his brother's heir, Sasuke sat to Itachi's right up on the dais as well. Their mother sat down in the crowd to the left of Kagami.

Itachi nodded imperceptibly to Sasuke. Itachi typically relied on Sasuke to lead clan meetings as his representative. It would be good practice for when Sasuke took over the clan. During the time of Itachi's illness, the Uchiha prodigy had expected this even to happen very soon. However, recent developments may have changed that.

Sasuke's voice commanded the attention of all gathered in the room. "The clan meeting will come to order. Uchiha Kagami as the clan's representative will present the main issues that we will discuss. Afterwards we will allow any clan member to present individual issues after our main discussion has ended. Kagami, if you please."

Sasuke glanced sideways at his brother. Itachi sent him a quiet smile.

Kagami was a relic of the past, having fought side by side with Senju Tobirama and Sarutobi Hirzuen in the First Great Shinobi World War. With wispy white hair and a slight limp from an old injury, he could be easily dismissed if not for his hard eyes and stern expression. Kagami was confident in his power but he was not a tyrant. Ten years ago when the Uchiha had attempted to seize power in Konoha, Kagami had taken no part in the coup d'état.

Kagami rose to his feet, relying on his cane. "The clan has only one item to discuss with the clan head at present: our concern with Itachi's participation in the ANBU Black Ops. The clan is only one failed mission away from ruin as both our clan head and his heir are part of this secret organization. This same organization forbids us from knowing anything about the missions and dangers our clan head and our heir face. After losing your father, our previous clan head, in a tragic accident at the Military Police, we have finally learned caution. The clan strongly recommends that one or both of you retire from the ANBU."

Itachi, Sasuke and Mikoto had known that this would be the issue raised by the clan, so they had several hours to prepare a response to this demand.

Itachi stood up from the stone chair that he had sat stiffly in and spoke for the first time. "Kagami, I thank you and the clan for bringing this issue to us. The item has been heavily debated for nearly the ten years that I have been a member of the ANBU. However, this is the first time that the clan has demanded that my younger brother and heir, Sasuke, step down from his position in the ANBU as well. I cannot speak for Sasuke. I can only speak for myself. However, for many years I have paid great attention to Sasuke's training and I can assure you that my brother is one of the strongest shinobi in the clan, the village and the fire country.

"While Sasuke and I are not permitted to discuss our missions and affiliations within ANBU, I can tell you that we are on separate squads. Thus one failed mission will not kill us both so I can say that we have hedged some of our exposure to danger."

Uchiha Kagami nodded and spoke again, "We are glad that you have taken some steps to assuage our doubts. However, Itachi, the news of your recent hospitalization has shaken us to the core. It opened our eyes to the fact that despite your reputation, you are still human and fallible - a truth that you would do well to remember."

Itachi chuckled wryly. He answered, "I thank you for your concern, Kagami. I will keep that in mind."

A man and his son were standing behind Kagami. Their black spiky hair was reminiscent of the pictures Itachi had seen of Kagami in the man's prime. They must be Kagami's son and grandson. The dark haired man stood and put a hand on his father's shoulder. When he spoke, he didn't utilize the same respect towards Itachi that his father had in their conversation.

"You are laughing at us, clan leader," he spat. "I can see you and your brother are not taking our concerns seriously."

Sasuke stood beside his brother. "I must contradict you there, Masaru. My brother and I are taking these concerns very seriously. We-"

"You are just a child!" Masaru said angrily. "How could you possibly understand?"

"I am not a child. I am a shinobi."

"I will say in turn, that you do not seem to be taking our skills very seriously, Magaru," Itachi joined in. "My brother and I are both capable shinobi."

Kagami nodded respectively at Itachi. "This we understand. However, we believe that there are other ways that you can be of use to the clan and the village besides as a captain in the ANBU. Your friend Shisui recently retired from the ANBU to take on students. My grandson is one of his students and greatly benefits from Shisui's experience. I think it is quite time that you retire from the ANBU and consider taking on students yourself, Itachi. None one can deny that you are a very powerful shinobi. Isn't it time for you to pass on your knowledge to the next generation? There's not a father or mother here who wouldn't jump at the chance to have you as sensei for their child. This is the clan's proposal. We believe that the Hokage will find it agreeable."

"When I am ready to take on students, I will. However, I am not ready at this time."

Kagami frowned. "If you will persist in the manner, we will have no choice but to take countermeasures. Until the time comes when either you or your brother retires from ANBU, we will insist that you nominate a second heir. This will provide stability to the clan."

"My father had no other sons."

"Then perhaps it is time for you to father some of your own with a woman of our clan."


Perched on one of the tall walls of her flower and herb garden in the middle of the Hyuga compound, Hinata pulled her knees up to her chest and gazed down with a smile at the practice grounds in the Hyuga compound. It was early in the morning, so she hadn't yet gotten fully dressed. She still wore the shorts and tank top she had worn to bed, though she had thrown her purple sweatshirt over her shoulders.

She smiled wryly. She hadn't even bothered to get dressed, yet her cousin was already practicing in the courtyard with four other jounin from the branch house. Neji wore black pants and a black sleeveless shirt, with his ANBU tattoo visible on his shoulder.

She turned as another person jumped onto the ledge beside her.

"Good morning, father."

Hyuga Hiashi smiled at his oldest daughter. It seemed that as she grew older, she began to resemble his beloved late wife more and more. It was almost painful to look at Hinata sometimes, she reminded him so much of her mother.

"Neji has become quite powerful," he remarked. "He had really flourished in the ANBU. He may surpass me soon."

Hinata quirked her head to the side, her midnight black hair cascading across one shoulder. She put a hand on her father's shoulder. "You're not giving yourself enough credit, father. You're the strongest ninja in the Hyuga clan."

Hiashi smiled at her sadly. "I'm getting older, Hinata. I won't be the head of the Hyuga clan forever."

Hinata looked down at her hands, trying to avoid his gaze. "I know that, father. I am working to become stronger, to become the heiress that the clan can be proud of, that you can be proud of."

Hiashi lifted her chin with one hand, forcing her to look at her. "You and I both know that it will not be enough. Fate was cruel to have you born first. You'll never be as strong as Hanabi."

"But…"

"Hinata," he interrupted. "You're going to turning eighteen in only a few months. On your birthday, if I see fit, I will officially proclaim you to be the next head of the Hyuga clan."

"And Hanabi will have the cursed seal placed on her forehead," Hinata whispered sadly.

Hiashi frowned at his gentle daughter. "You shouldn't worry about what happens to Hanabi if you become Clan Head. You should be more concerned about what would happen if you don't prove yourself worthy."

Hinata looked up at him. "Will I have to defeat you in battle?"

Hiashi shook his head. "No, you'll have to defeat Hanabi."

"Hanabi?" Hinata gasped in surprise. "If she defeats me then she'll become your heir and I'll receive the cursed seal?"

"Perhaps. Your cousin Neji is currently the Head of the Branch house and we'll have to decide if we would like you to be part of the branch family."

"But if I'm defeated, what else could I become but a branch house member?"

Hiashi looked pointedly at her and replied enigmatically, "There are other ways that you can be of use to the Hyuga clan, Hinata."

Hinata felt a chill of foreboding. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with. Right now, you should only focus on becoming stronger. Hinata, you've been spending much too much time at the hospital. You've been neglecting your training. I worry that you won't be ready. If you fought Hanabi today, I don't think you would be able to defeat her. And for goodness sake, she's five years your junior!"

"When you became clan head, did you have to defeat Neji's father in battle?"

"No."

Hinata gaped at him. "Then why…?"

Hiashi sighed. "I hate having to make you battle your sister like this. But the elders are forcing my hand. They don't believe that you're strong enough to lead the family. They want you to prove yourself."

Hinata looked at her hands. "Do you think I would be a strong head of the clan, father?"

Hiashi's silence was deafening.

Helpless, Hinata felt a flood of tears wetting her cheeks. She glanced down again at Neji sparing. He had defeated all four of the jounin. He was offering a hand up to the one nearest to him. She looked at her father and stuttered through her tears, "I…I will become stronger. I promise you."

Hiashi looked uncomfortable at her tears. "Hinata, it just isn't your destiny to be the clan head. It's not something you can fight."

Hinata looked him in the eye, her gaze resolute. "Don't give up on me yet, father. Please don't lose your faith in me."

Her determined stare made him smile. "That's my Hinata." He stood up from the wall and glanced down at her. "I'm expecting two important guests today. I would like you to wear your new kimono."

"As you wish, father."


"Kinda early for a clan meeting," noted Kakashi.

"Guess we Uchiha are morning people." Shisui shrugged.

"I knew there was something weird about you guys."

After the clan meeting and the subsequent discussion in the comfort of their own home between Mikoto, Sasuke and Itachi, the brothers had slipped out to one of the training fields to meet up with Kakashi and Shisui for a spar they had previously arranged.

Practice Field twenty-five was on the northeast corner of Konoha, well outside the walls. It was one of the larger and more remote fields that were popular amongst the jonin and ANBU of the village. When high-level shinobi got together to spar, they always tended to leave tremendous destruction in their wake. Remote fields were a necessity to prevent injury among lower-level shinobi who might be training nearby and get caught in the crossfire. This was Itachi and Sasuke's favorite field.

After Sasuke made chunin at twelve, Itachi began to take him to this field for spars. Mikoto would occasionally join them. She had reached jonin before she retired from active service but was still a formidable kunoichi in her own right. Though even together Mikoto and Sasuke usually couldn't defeat Itachi during their spars, a fact Itachi knew well but chose not to lord over them.

"Are you sure the others wouldn't mind us taking about clan matters in front of a non-clan member?" wondered Sasuke.

"Nah. He's an honorary Uchiha," Shisui quipped, throwing an arm around Kakashi's shoulders.

Kakashi lifted his forehead protector and showed the blood red eye hidden behind it. His own dark eye twinkled as he pointed. "Sharingan."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his sensei's foolishness.

"They're already kinda pissed at us, 'tachi. We should be more careful about what we say," Sasuke cautioned.

"You're probably right," agreed Itachi.

"I must say, Kagami's son Masaru is a bit of a sanctimonious bastard," remarked Sasuke.

"Yeah. His son's a bit of a sanctimonious bastard too," Shisui replied.

"Can someone really be a sanctimonious bastard at twelve?" wondered Sasuke.

"You'd be surprised," answered Kakashi mysteriously.

"You should have seen yourself at twelve, Sasuke," Itachi drawled.

Sasuke frowned and threw a kunai at his brother's head. "You suck."

Itachi ducked smoothly and stuck out his tongue.

"Behave, children," Shisui teased. "So what teams should we go with today? How about me and Kakashi against Itachi and Sasuke?"

"Do you think that's fair?" asked Sasuke. With a smirk he added, "Should Itachi and I get a handicap or something? You two don't stand a chance against us."

Kakashi smirked right back at him. "Any last words, brat?"

Four sets of eyes bled red into the distinctive Sharingan as the spar began. Sasuke attacked first, hurling a burst of Chidori senbon at the Uchiha brother's opponents. Shisui body flickered away into the nearby trees to track the battle.

Rapidly forming handsigns, Kakashi threw his hands on the ground. "Doton: Doryūheki!"

An earthen wall drew up between the Copy Ninja and his opponent, protecting Kakashi from the Chidori attack. Nimbly jumping out of the way, Kakashi narrowly missed the kick as Itachi jumped in behind the wall.

"Konoha Senpu!"

Kakashi's typically impassive eyes betrayed surprise at seeing Itachi utilizing his rival Gai's taijutsu moves. He was able to dodge Itachi's high kick, but was unable to protect himself against the low kick which doubled him up. Shisui jumped in while Kakashi shook himself off to rejoin the skirmish. A flurry of taijutsu kicks, punches and blocks followed. Focusing a small amount of chakra into his fist, Itachi's punch finally connected, throwing Kakashi across the clearing.

"Doton: Kengan no Jutsu!"

Shisui's fist rock technique took Itachi by surprise as his friend managed to slam him into the Earth Wall that Kakashi had created earlier.

"Picked that one up in my mission to Earth Country last month with my genin team," Shisui explained.

"Very nice," complimented Itachi, slipping into a defensive stance. His eyebrows furrowed in surprise when Sasuke jumped behind him, catching the punch Kakashi aimed at Itachi.

Kakashi gasped in surprise when his punch connected with Sasuke and he realized a split second too late. "An exploding bunshin?"

Itachi was already prepared with a body replacement technique as Sasuke's clone exploded. Kakashi, Shisui and a log were blasted across the clearing.

The Uchiha brothers stood side by side in a high branch a little ways off. "That exploding bunshin trick never gets old," Sasuke chuckled to his brother. "I'm so glad you taught it to me. I have another new technique that I want to try out. I stole it off a Kumo jounin."

"What is it?" wondered Itachi.

"It's a lightening based genjutsu attack."

"Hm, sounds like fun. Why don't we try that water and lightening combo attack we've been working on after that?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I can sense Kakashi and Shisui up ahead by the lake. They're probably setting up a trap or preparing a combo attack to use against us."

"Why don't you separate them so that I can try this genjutsu on Kakashi?"

"Your wish is my command."

Sasuke and Itachi body flickered nearby. Even before they landed on the lake, Itachi was ready with a shuriken attack.

"Katon: Hōsenka Tsumabeni!"

Letting the shuriken suffused with Pheonix Flames loose at Shisui, Itachi followed his friend as they danced across the water dodging one another's shuriken attacks. Shisui dodged the attack easily, but Itachi's mission was accomplished. Kakashi and Shisui were separated.

"Divide and conquer? Is that your plan?" wondered Shisui.

Itachi smiled mysteriously. "Sasuke wanted to try a new jutsu against Kakashi."

Shisui smirked. "Funny you should say that. Kakashi wanted to do the same."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Truce? I kinda want to watch this."

"Stole the words right out of my mouth."

"Raigen Raikōchū!" Sasuke called.

Itachi watched transfixed as a flash of lightening flickered and then a bright light seemed to emanate from Sasuke's body. It was blinding in its intensity. It was like looking directly into the sun. A jutsu that was ideally suited for Uchiha opponents who relied on their sight to cast jutsu.

"Suirō no Jutsu!" called Kakashi, casting his jutsu with a water clone before Sasuke's was completely expelled.

"That water prision jutsu?" asked Itachi. "I hate that one. And really effective using it as his opponent was casting a lightening based jutsu. Sasuke's probably experiencing some blowback from his own jutsu. Guess Kakashi wanted revenge for that exploding bunshin."

"I wish you would teach me that jutsu," commented Shisui. "I felt a little betrayed that you showed it to the twerp before you showed it to me."

"Jealousy doesn't become you, Shisui," taunted Itachi. "Well I should go and help my brother. Can't let Kakashi gloat for too long."

"Well you're going to have to get around me first, 'tachi," Shisui winked.

Itachi smiled mysteriously and then his body seemed to disperse as a murder of crows flew away.

"Katon: Zukokku," yelled Itachi's voice from the other side of the lake.

Shisui cursed. He flicked over to Kakashi and grabbed the real Copy Ninja. Diving into the lake, they watched as the tremendous inferno raged across the lake above them. Surfacing after the blaze had passed, they climbed back onto the surface of the water. Their opponents were standing together nearby. They seemed to be having a bit of a tiff.

Sasuke looked sullen, soaked and scorched. "I don't know if you noticed, 'tachi. But you only hit me with that jutsu. Thanks."

Kakashi was unsuccessful in hiding his chuckle. Sasuke glared sullenly at his former sensei. Not ready to end the spar so early, Shisui tossed some shuriken at Sasuke to put the young ANBU on his guard. He jumped away out of the way and hurled a handful back.

Itachi eyed Kakashi curiously, wondering what the copy-nin's next attack would be. He was unprepared for the flight of chidori senbon Kakashi aimed at him. Allowed barely a moment to think and reluctant to use the Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi called upon a new jutsu that he still hadn't perfected.

"Hakkeshō Kaiten!"

Itachi's last jutsu seemed to put an end to the spar. Kakashi, Shisui and Sasuke all looked on dumbfounded and a little jealously as Itachi whirled around dispelling chakra from numerous chakra points creating a barrier which knocked away the majority of the senbon.

When Itachi stilled, he pulled out a senbon lodged in his thigh and another in his calf. His technique was still imperfect. He was still having trouble emanating the correct amount of chakra from the points on his legs. They remained vulnerable to attack.

"Still inferior to the Susanoo that I can summon with my Mangekyo Sharingan," Itachi mumbled to himself.

Shisui landed beside his friend and remarked, "That's a Main House secret Hyuga clan technique. How on earth…"

"When Neji finds out that you stole that from him, he'll be furious," Kakashi remarked.

Itachi crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn't steal it. I taught it to myself just as Neji did several years ago. True the Sharingan helped me to learn it, but without the proper chakra control any knowledge gained with the Sharingan is useless. I've been training with Neji and he's offered me some advice about it."

"You better keep this quiet, Itachi," Kakashi warned. "Otherwise the Hyuga clan will be out for your blood. Your position as the Uchiha clan head can only afford you so much immunity."

"I sincerely doubt that this will become a clan issue," said Itachi.

"I'm known as the Copy Ninja. I've found that ninjas don't like to have their techniques stolen or 'copied.' Be careful. ANBU and the Hokage can offer some protection, but that only goes so far," countered Kakashi.

"Funny you should mention ANBU," said Shisui.

"So the clan's still on your case about ANBU?" asked Kakashi.

"Yep," Itachi said.

"Would it really be a bad thing if you retired Itachi? Give the next generation a chance to shine?"

"Looking for a captain's seat, Sasuke?" asked Kakashi.

"Someday, yeah."

"I will retire at some point, but there are dangerous powers at work these days and we need all hands on deck."

"Are you talking about the Akatsuki?" wondered Sasuke.

"Yes. They're after your teammate, Naruto. It's only a matter of time before they launch a full scale attack on the village."

"Kakashi, you'll never guess what they told Itachi at the end of our meeting," Shisui said with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the slight blush that flooded Itachi's cheeks at his friend's remark. "And what was that?"

"They said that with Itachi and Sasuke both in ANBU, our clan leader and clan heir respectively, we leave the clan unprotected. They gave Itachi an ultimatum. Either one of them retires from ANBU or they have to nominate a second heir."

"Have you decided what to do?" wondered Kakashi.

"I spoke with my mother about it. If I name another heir, it should be my son or Sasuke's."

"So…" said Kakashi. "You can't come back to ANBU until you get someone pregnant?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"That has got to be the best mission ever," Kakashi laughed. "It's like something straight out of Icha Icha!"

"So," Shisui asked wiggling his eyebrows. "Do you have any girl in mind yet?"

A face flitted across Itachi's mind: soft lavender eyes, a gentle smile and sheets of midnight dark hair. There was someone yes, but would take time and some bending of clan politics.

"I can't say that for certain. It's not something I want to rush into. Luckily, I was able to buy us some time with a contingency plan. Simply, Sasuke and I can't be gone from the village on missions at the same time."

"It'll cut into our training time together," Sasuke pointed out unhappily. "But it's better than the alternative.

"Yeah, troublesome," Itachi sighed. "Speaking of which, I believe that I have a mission. Duty calls."


Hinata slid in her seat across from Sasuke with a happy sigh. She loved the senbei at Teyaki and Uruchi's shop. The two shopkeepers were so kind to them. They were almost like doting godparents to Sasuke.

The shop had a very nice outdoor space. Several tables and chairs arranged inside the ornate fence arrayed with twinkling fairy lights. The nighttime breeze was very refreshing after a long day of training with her teammates. There was quite a crowd that evening, ninja and civilian alike. Sasuke and Hinata barely managed to find an open table.

Teyaki dropped by their table shortly after they sat down with their order. Throwing his arm around the younger man's shoulders, he said, "There's my favorite clan heir. You should have seen him at our clan meeting this morning, Hinata. Your brother must have been very proud of you."

"I'm sure it wasn't that impressive," Sasuke mumbled.

"I would have had trouble standing up and speaking in front of that assembly of lions. The clan was out for blood. Your family did a good job of standing up for yourself."

Sasuke quirked a small smile. "Thank you. My brother and mother will be glad to hear that we have your continued support."

"Always." Teyaki winked. "Well I'll give you and this beautiful lady some privacy." Teyaki winked at the younger man before he stage whispered to Hinata, "It's always nice to see you, Hinata."

Sasuke quirked his lip before tossing one of the rice cakes into his mouth. Hinata took a sip of her green tea.

"I'm sorry that I missed going to the police department with you to look at your father's files," said Hinata.

Sasuke waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. You were tending to my brother in the hospital. Itachi's future is much more important to me than my father's past. Though Hana was asking after you."

"Oh, how is she doing?"

"She's fine. Though her dogs were staring me down for not bringing you along."

Hinata grinned at him. She picked up one of the rice cakes herself. She looked at it distractedly for a moment before turning to Sasuke. He quirked an eyebrow at her expression.

"Can I ask you for a favor, Sasuke?"

The raven-haired Uchiha raised an eyebrow before replying, "Is everything alright?" He detected an unfamiliar hesitance in her voice.

She smiled in return. "Everything's fine. What I wanted to ask is if you would mind training with me? I've gotten behind in my training lately with all my work at the hospital. I need to get stronger and improve my jutsu. I want to be an heiress that my clan can be proud of."

Sasuke nodded. "Anytime. You didn't even need to ask. It should be fun. We haven't trained together since we were kids."

Hinata chuckled to herself and looked at him through her eyelashes. Sasuke was sure she didn't realize what a seductive picture she made. "It has been awhile, hasn't it."

"Goodness knows how much free time I'll have now that Naruto's out of the village. I've lost count of the number of times he runs off with Lord Jiraiya for 'training.' Frankly it's amazing that the council allows the Hokage to run off for months at a time like that. It must have been some stipulation in his contract when he accepted the job. Kami, sometimes I worry about what the Sannin is teaching him. Naruto told me that the Hokage had him ghostwrite a chapter in his latest novel. And I thought nothing could surprise me. "

Hinata choked on her tea. "You can't be serious!"

Sasuke adopted a mock-hurt expression. "Would I lie to you, Hinata-hime?"

Hinata giggled. Her laugh was so charming, like softly tinkling bells.

"There's supposed to be working on the Hirashin. But Kami only knows what they're really doing."

Hinata crinkled her eyes in amusement. Leaning in and blushing prettily, she asked Sasuke quietly, "I've been meaning to ask you."

Sasuke leaned forward excitedly, wondering what she could have to say that would make her whisper and blush like that. Was it those words he'd been waiting to hear from her? He had fallen in love with her so gradually, it almost seemed like it had always been a part of him. It was as easy as breathing. "Yes?"

She whispered even more quietly, "This is a little awkward but I've been dying to know since I met your brother a couple days ago."

"What is it?" he whispered back huskily.

"Why don't you have the Mangekyo Sharingan like Itachi?"

Sasuke sat back in his chair as the moment ended with the speed and certainty of an exploding bunshin. He was disappointed in more ways than one.

Why was Hinata comparing him to his older brother? Everyone always compared him to Itachi. Sasuke was the most talented shinobi to come out of his class at the Academy, perhaps one of the most talented to ever come out of the Academy. Sasuke was considered a genius, a prodigy in many ways. However, so was Itachi. It seemed that whenever Sasuke accomplished something, a clan member would point how Itachi had accomplished the same task – only better – at a younger age. It seemed that Sasuke was forever doomed to live in his older brother's shadow.

True he loved his brother more than anything else in the world. For Sasuke, Itachi was the universe. But Sasuke always had this lingering feeling of resentment for his older brother. He wanted to prove that he was just as good as Itachi, maybe even better.

Hinata was special to him. She was the one thing that he didn't have to share with Itachi. People would always compare the Uchiha brother's stats: graduation from the Academy, mastery of the Sharingan, Chunin and Jonin promotion, ANBU induction, etc.

But Hyuga Hinata was something that Sasuke didn't have to share with Itachi. And now, to hear her compare him to his brother was tantamount to someone plunging a katana through his heart.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I see I've upset you." Hinata stared at him with her crystal eyes. She was so perceptive in some ways and so blissfully unaware in others. She reached across the table and put her hands into his. She looked deep into his eyes, hoping to convey her message. "I'm not trying to compare you to him. That would be unkind and silly. You both are so different. I don't know why people are always equating you. Neither one of you is superior to the other. You know that, right? You're just as talented as Itachi."

A genuine smile broke out across Sasuke's face. This was one of the reasons he was so fond of the girl. For so many years she had been a flustered and a stuttering mess, but years of hard training and time spent with her best friend Ino had helped her conquer that. However, one thing that hadn't changed about her was her pure heart, sincerity and insightfulness.

"You know that, right, Sasuke?" she whispered.

"Hai, Hinata," he whispered back.


It was a beautiful summer morning. The sun had risen only an hour ago and was rising in the sky at a lazy pace. A warm breeze wafted into the Hidden Leaf Village from the forest surrounding the town. The twittering of birds was the only noise near the imposing front gates - that is besides the voices of the two chunin on duty.

"Looks like this game is mine, Kotetsu."

Hagane Kotetsu threw down his cards on the table in front of them. Leaning back in his chair, he put his arms behind his head. "So, do you think it's going to be another quiet day, Izumo?"

Kamizuki Izumo leaned forward to stare through his long bangs out the immense entrance way to Kohona. "Probably."

Kotetsu scratched his nose. "Aren't Naruto and Hokage-sama supposed to come back to Konoha soon?"

Izumo sat back in the chair and picked up the cards on the table. Shuffling them with little thought, he remarked, "Now that you mention it, I think they should be coming back any day now. I think Kakashi said that Naruto has a mission waiting for him."

"Wouldn't it be nice to have a mission waiting for us," said Kotetsu with a wistful sigh.

Izumo grabbed Kotetsu by his chunin vest and shook him. "Well if you weren't such a slacker, maybe we'd get more exciting missions assigned to us."

"Hey," Kotetsu gasped as Izumo continued to shake him. His eyes shifted to two figures walking in the front gates. "Hey, where do you two think you're going?"

Releasing his friend, Izumo turned to the two men walking into Kohona. Raising an eyebrow, he peered at them curiously. One was around their age and other looked to be the first's man father. The pair was dressed in expensive looking clothing, layers upon layers of lavish silks. The intricate embroidery shone in the early morning light with an almost incandescent gleam.

The older man glared at the two chunin before stalking up to them, his silks swirling around him and his dark eyes flashing. "How dare you address your betters in such a way, young man."

"Whoo there, mister," said Izumo rushing to his friend's defense. "You can't walk into Konoha without talking to us first."

"The audacity…" the older man began.

"Just give those low lives our papers, father," the younger man interrupted his father with a sneer at the chunin.

Izumo and Kotetsu exchanged identical bemused looks. The pair was harmless to the chunin, though unbearably pompous. The older man pulled a thick set of papers with a familiar wax seal on the front. Izumo accepted it in one hand.

"The Hyuga seal, eh. Are you here to see Hiashi-sama?" wondered Kotetsu.

"What impudence," exclaimed the older man.

Izumo broke the seal of the document and skimmed it. Kotetsu looked over his friend's shoulder to read it. He glanced at the well-dressed pair suspiciously. "Do you reckon it's really them and not a transformation jutsu?"

"Hard to know," answered Izumo, looking up from the papers. "I'm surprised that you don't have a shiniobi guard with you. It looks like you can afford some," Izumo said before glancing down at the papers for their names, "Hato Kaba of Kenkaji."

The older man looked affronted at the insult. "Of course we can afford an escort. They'll be coming along soon with our baggage. We meet a mangy pair of bandits when we were in view of Konoha. Our ninja escorts told us to go ahead while they fought them off. They'll be along presently with our baggage."

"You really should take better care of your village. Imagine bandits lurking this close to the city," said the son.

"What did these bandits look like," Izumo asked now studying at the scroll for the son's name, "Hato Okami?"

"One was a lecherous old man with long white hair tied back a ponytail. The other was an idiotic looking young man with messy blonde hair and horrendous fashion sense," the son answered.

"Oh, that would be the Jiraiya-sama and Naruto. I was wondering when they would get back," Izumo exclaimed excitedly.

"I'll be nice to see them again, won't it, Izumo."

The son, Hato Okami, wrinkled his nose. "You know these bandits?"

"Yeah, though they're actually shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, not bandits. The lecherous old man you spoke of is the Godaime Hokage."

Hato Kaba and Okami didn't look convinced. The father, Hato Kaba, spoke up. "In Kenkaji the ninja take better care of themselves and their appearance." He wrinkled his nose at Kotetsu and Izumo. "Though from what I've seen so far, it doesn't seem like Konoha holds their ninja to the same standards. It's embarrassing that this is the Hidden Village of the Fire Country. I'll have to speak to my brother-in-law, the fire daimyo, about it."

Izumo and Kotetsu looked amused when they noticed four new figures coming through the towering doors of Konoha. Sure enough it was Lord Hokage and Naruto, hauling the two elite Kenkaji ninjas in by the scruff of their necks."

"Hey Izumo, Kotetsu!" exclaimed Naruto. "Long time no see. How are you two doing?"

"Fine. I see you got yourself into some trouble," Izumo teased.

"Nothing we couldn't handle." Naruto shrugged.

"Who are your friends there?" Kotetsu pointed.

"No idea. They attacked us, so what were we supposed to do," said Naruto.

Hato Kaba and Okami gaped in dismay at their guards that were tossed in a heap at their feet. One of them looked up at their client uneasily. Kaba aimed a kick at them and said, "You're fired. And don't expect to be paid. I've never been so embarrassed in all my life."

"Why don't I help you two to the hospital," said Naruto.

"Welcome back, Hokage-sama," said Izumo.

Jiraiya chuckled wryly, "I'm not looking forward to catching up on all the paperwork I missed while I was gone."

"Tsunade, Iruka and your assistants have been assigning mission and processing reports. You shouldn't have too much of a backlog. I think there's even has a mission for Naruto's ANBU team on your desk waiting for you return."

"A mission? Excellent!" exclaimed Naruto. "Come on, Pervy Sage. If we hurry up, maybe I can treat you to ramen before I have to head out again."

"I wish you wouldn't call me that."


A/N: Here's a list of the jutsus used:

Doton: Doryūheki – Earth Style: Earth Wall.

Konoha Senpu – Leaf Hurricane

Doton: Kengan no Jutsu – Earth Style: Rock Fist

Katon: Hōsenka Tsumabeni - Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Shuriken Jutsu

Raigen Raikōchū - Lightning Illusion: Flash Pillar

Suirō no Jutsu - Water Prison Jutsu

Katon: Zukokku - Fire Style: Searing Migraine

Hakkeshō Kaiten - Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven


A/N: Please Review!