I do not own Naruto!
Chapter Three
Itachi reported to ANBU headquarters, prepared to receive his first official assignment. He was surprised when, instead of being assigned to a squad, he was directed to the Hokage's office.
"Itachi Uchiha reporting as ordered, Hokage-sama."
"Thank you for coming, Itachi." Sarutobi said, leaning back in his chair "I have an assignment that has been troubling me for some time. No one seemed right for the job, at least until you passed your evaluation yesterday. This is a very sensitive mission, but I think you are ideal for it."
"I'm ready, sir."
"How much do you know about the Kyūbi attack six years ago?"
Itachi was a bit thrown off by the odd question, "…The Nine Tails attacked the village. Large portions of the village were destroyed, and the defense resulted in heavy casualties. The Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life to seal the beast."
"Do you know what happened to the Kyūbi?"
"…Not exactly. I've heard rumors that it was sealed into a human."
Sarutobi nodded, "A human who is host to a tailed beast is known as a Jinchūriki. The last Nine Tails Jinchūriki was Kushina Uzumaki, Minato's, the Fourth's, wife."
That certainly piqued Itachi interest, "Kushina? She was my mother's best friend. You're saying she was…"
"The host of the Kyūbi, yes. There was an enemy, one whose identity we still don't know, who took advantage of Kushina's childbirth to release the Nine Tails and turn it on the village. Both Kushina and Minato gave their lives to protect their newborn son, and sealed the beast safely inside him."
"…A baby?"
"He's six years old now and just started the Academy. He doesn't know any of this; not who his parents are nor that he is a Jinchūriki. His father wanted him to be seen as a hero; unfortunately, there are many in the village who don't feel that way. He's hated."
The pieces began to come together in Itachi's mind, "The blond boy who is always playing pranks in the village…"
"Naruto. He is very… energetic, a bit of a trouble maker, but he means well. There are those in the village who want him dead, not to mention the enemies of the Fourth, and the man who orchestrated the attack six years ago. All of them mean him harm, and there have already been attempts on his life. If the other hidden villages were ever to find out that he is a Jinchūriki, it would only increase tenfold. He has had an ANBU squad watching over him since his birth, but the situation is changing, and I think it is time to take a new approach to his protection as well. I've decided to have the squad stand down during the day in favor of a single bodyguard."
"If the threat is increasing, why reduce security?" asked Itachi.
"When it comes down to it, security is not my greatest concern for Naruto, his wellbeing is. He's been alone his entire life. He's been in an orphanage until now, but he was an outcast even there. He was kicked out when he began the Academy. I'm concerned what effect so much isolation might have on him. Naruto needs someone to look out for him, but also someone to look up to; a mentor, or an older brother figure."
"And you want… me? Hokage-sama… I'm no role model."
"I understand you have a younger brother of your own."
"Yes, sir."
"It's also my understanding that you value your brother over nearly anything else."
Itachi found it a bit unsettling that the Hokage knew so much about him.
"All I ask," Sarutobi continued, "Is that you apply that same dedication into this assignment."
"I… Y-Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Excellent. You'll meet with the current squad leader today. First thing tomorrow you will take over for the normal detail until sunset. Unless you have any questions, you are dismissed, Itachi."
Itachi gave a slight bow and departed. He was still catching up with everything he had just been told. This was not the kind of assignment he had expected when he joined ANBU. A part of him wondered if this was the Hokage's way of saying that he agreed with Kakashi that Itachi was too young for black ops. If that was so, all he could do was try to prove himself in the tasks he had been given, just as he always had before.
The leader of the security detail was an older man named Captain Arata with silver hair peeking out from his bear mask.
"So, you're taking over the day shift, are you?" he asked with a gravelly voice.
"I'm not trying to step on your toes, sir."
"Don't worry about it. My team will be glad for the time off. That kid is a pain in the ass to keep up with."
"With all due respect, sir… How does Naruto get away with so much if you're watching him all the time?"
Arata grunted, "We're his security detail, not his babysitters. It's not our job to keep him out of trouble, just to keep him breathing."
"I see…"
Following his meeting with Captain Arata, Itachi made his way back to the Uchiha Compound. He started to remove his mask as he passed through the gates, only to suddenly find himself trapped in a tight headlock. Instinctively, he moved to counterattack, but his attacker vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.
"I'm still faster than you, kid."
A messy-haired young man in a Konoha Military Police uniform seemed to appear out of thin air.
"Aren't we a little old for games, Shisui?" Itachi grumbled, trying to sound annoyed, but smirking all the same.
"You might be an ANBU hotshot now, but you're still only twelve. You've gotta loosen up or you're going to end up like your dad."
Itachi sighed and picked up his dropped mask from the ground, "It might be too late for me."
"Nah, I don't believe that. Behind all that skill and all that seriousness you're still a big softie. Are you busy today?"
"No, I'm on standby."
"I just got off duty. Want to do some target practice?"
"…Alright. That sounds good."
Shisui had been Itachi's best friend as long as he could remember. He was like his older brother. Shisui was seventeen and a Jonin who had made a name for himself before transferring to the Military Police Force. He had recently been promoted to captain after only a few months with the Force. He was laid back and playful most of the time, but could be deathly serious when the situation warranted.
Itachi and Shisui walked to their usual training spot, a clearing in the woods at the edge of the Uchiha Compound that was known only to them and one other friend. They set up their targets, trying to make them as difficult as possible, then took turns trying to outdo each other with more and more complex shots.
"So," said Shisui, collecting his kunai, "Uncle Fugaku has been telling the entire clan about how his son passed his ANBU evaluation on his first mission."
"Hn." Itachi grunted.
"Guess that means you'll be around even less now, huh?"
"Actually, it looks like my new assignment will be keeping me in the village most of the time."
"Really? What's the assignment?"
ANBU missions were classified, but there was no one in the world that Itachi trusted more than Shisui.
"It's a personal security detail." He told him.
"Who in the village would need an ANBU PSD?"
"…A kid with a lot on his shoulders." Itachi replied, flinging a kunai, and hitting his target dead center.
"Don't tell me you're talking about that Jinchūriki kid."
"You know about that?" Itachi asked, surprised.
"It's one of those things they tell you when you make captain with the Police Force. I guess Uncle Fugaku is afraid he'll lose control on the Nine Tails someday. He wants us keeping an eye on him." Shisui explained.
"The Hokage wants me to… be some kind of mentor to him."
"Well, he picked the right guy."
"The Hokage said the same thing. Why does everyone seem to think that?"
"You were born to be a big brother, Itachi. Besides, I think Sasuke and that kid are the same age. Maybe they'll be friends."
"Maybe."
Itachi and Shisui stayed at the clearing training until after sunset when they finally decided to head back. They walked together until the split in the road between their own homes.
"Good luck with the assignment, Itachi. Don't work too hard." Shisui said with a wave.
"I'll try. Goodnight, Shisui-nii-san."
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