Chapter Three: Training
Fugaku Uchiha was one who constantly trained. While other children his age were out playing pranks on one another he was on the Uchiha compound training grounds going through the sets his father had demonstrated for him and trying to perfect what he already knew. This particular afternoon however they were at the academy training grounds going over their kunai and shuriken aim when Shin Haruno came up and started to practice beside him.
All his life Fugaku had been told to concentrate on his own movements, that the level others were on was nothing to be concerned about because they would never be anywhere near that of his own. However knowing how to do something in theory is always so much easier than actually doing it in practice.
As Shin Haruno stood beside the Uchiha he grinned, he threw his shiruken half assed but hit every target and all the while Fugaku grew furious. He had to train constantly just so that he'd be able to hit his mark. Then there was the yelling and the attempt at flirting with none other than Haru Nori. She was a calm girl, had pink hair and beautiful blue eyes. At first glance she seemed to be weak, to be unable to defend herself against an opponent but in her eyes Fugaku saw power and strength. A courage he'd never seen in any other girl other than those of the Uchiha kunoichi; such as Mikoto.
"Hey, hey! How about we go out and play after class. We can all go for a...ooff." Shin had been screaming only to stop as he was hit upside the head. Meanwhile Fugaku kept his eyes to the front and focused at the task at hand. While it was true that he had been the one to hit the Haruno heir he knew that without proof Shin wouldn't be able to do anything.
Or so had been the theory because next thing Fugaku knew he was blocking punches left and right. Shin hadn't taken lightly to his mock punch and though Fugaku knew that he had been in the wrong he had not been expecting such a violent reaction from the Haruno heir.
"It's self defense." Shin said upon noticing Fugaku's shocked eyes. Meanwhile the rest of the class around the two heirs stopped their own training and watched as the two went at it and matched each others strength.
"Enough." Fugaku called as he jumped away and onto a tree only to be followed.
"Don't start things you can't finish." Shin retorted with a sort of gleam to his eyes. He was determined, anyone could see that but what Fugaku couldn't understand was what he was determined to do.
"You boys act like children." Haru called as she jumped in the middle of the two and kicked each of the boys back and away from one another.
"Stay out of this Haru." warned Shin as he withdrew his kunai and aimed them at her and Fugaku.
"Shin." called Mikoto from behind but instead of listening Shin charged forward, knocked Haru into a tree and punched Fugaku in the gut.
At first all Fugaku could register was shock and disbelief at what Shin had done. He knew that he was aggressive, that he liked doing things the way he wanted to and did not like it when others told him what to do. However what he'd just done had been crossing the line. Not only had he pushed their classmate, a girl, but he had also disrespected an Uchiha kunoichi. Growling Fugaku took to a knee and took in a deep breath.
"What's wrong, is the oh so mighty Uchiha heir done already?" Shin taunted as he shook his head and sighed.
"You bastard." Fugaku growled, for the first time allowing for his anger to show and to take over him. It was a strange sensation at first, one he wasn't quite sure how to express.
"Hey now, you know that...wow." Shin started to say only to pause and widen his eyes when he came face to face with a crimson eyed Fugaku Uchiha.
He had felt his chakra flare, had felt as Fugaku tapped into his reservers but had figured he was just going to try out a new fire style jutsu or something of the sort. However he had most definitely not been expecting to trigger the awakening of his kekkie genkai.
"Fugaku." whispered Mikoto as she turned to look at Shin. Clearly Shin understood the new danger to his awakening, even more so if he was angry. Meanwhile Haru was pushing herself up onto her feet and looking back and forth between the two.
"Enough." she said again, not caring about either one's annoyance or the dangers present.
"Haru, don't." Mikoto called as she tried to move toward her friend and rival.
"Iie. This has gone far enough." she said with a sort of determination to her tone of voice but before she could move so as to stand between the two, Shin and Fugaku took off at a speed that no one, not even Haru and Mikoto, had been expecting them to do so.
They were going at each other, punching and kicking, and were about to start using jutsus when suddenly their sensei appeared and with one hand held both of them down and against the ground.
"You both know better." he said before turning to Haru and Mikoto. Haru's body was tensed, had been preparing for battle while Mikoto's own sharingan was fading away. She had unlocked it a while back but had refused to show it. It wasn't until she felt, had thought that her best friend was going to get hurt that she unconsciously released it so as to prepare herself for battle.
"And what were you both doing?"
"Trying to stop them sensei." Mikoto said while Haru walked back to her side.
"As good as your intentions were you should have just called for me or another instructor. It would have been dangerous to just..."
"Just what sensei? Jump into an on going battle? We know that, why do you think we're here training to become shinobi; kunoichi's for the village. We know the risks and still we're here." Haru said defiantly. Everyone's eyes widened then, especially Fugaku's.
Fugaku had thought that she'd for sure hide behind Mikoto, that she'd agree with anything and everything that was not only being said but being lectured to them. He most certainly had not been expecting her response much less her challenge.
"Nice Haru." Shin called and upon hearing his voice again Fugaku was filled with annoyance and anger. He was going to pay for what he'd done, he was going to fall and Fugaku was going to make sure of it.
'Though I guess I should be thanking him for triggering my kekkie genkai.' Fugaku thought bitterly as he and Shin were taken to the hokages office for yet another lecture.
~Sakura's POV~
It'd been a year since the incident in the field and still I couldn't get over it. Sighing I went through my next set of taijutsu sets before jumping into the air and throwing my kunai straight for the targets. Itachi was an amazing leader, one who took on a mission every now and then and would do so more as soon as Izakura started the academy.
Fugaku, of course, was trying to get her in already, arguing that she was Itachi's daughter and that as such she would be more than capable of handling it. He was right, she would; but I would not force her to give up her childhood.
"You are tense mistress." Hikari called as she dodged a bolder I'd thrown her way and proceeded to attack. With Naruto being hokage and Sasuke being his advisor it was rare when I could spar against anyone other than Hikari and the others. Kakashi would help but more often than not we only saw each other while on missions.
"Is it that obvious?" I sighed as I twisted out of her on coming attack and landed on a near by tree branch.
"Hai." was her only answer before swirling around and snarling a warning growl. She sensed someone, or something, close by. Watching.
Narrowing my eyes I took a kunai in hand and jumped down so as to stand beside her but when Izakura stepped out of the shadows I sighed and Hikari stood down. She was just like Itachi when it came to hiding her chakra, even better in fact.
"You know better." I cautioned her while slipping the kunai back into its place. In turn Izakura just looked around, watched as the ground rose and fell, as the boulders that had been present crumbled apart and as Hikari bowed a greeting.
"Hikari-san." she greeted her, always formally and properly.
"Izakura-san." Hikari spoke before turning and looking up to the trees. I'd sensed him too, felt the instant he had gotten close enough to be sensed but had waited to see what it was he wanted or what it was he had been there for. Now, seeing as Izakura stood before me with serious eyes and full of determination, I knew that he had waited for her arrival.
"Is there another meeting I need to hold?" I called out, hoping that the answer was yes despite my complete dislike for said missions. Being the Uchiha leaders wife wasn't bad; it was just that on top of my responsibilities as a kunoichi and a medic I needed to juggle being a good mother and a good leader as well.
"Iie." Itachi said before taking to my side and taking my hand in his. As soon as he did I knew that there was something going on, that there was a reason for his sudden silent support, and a reason for my daughter venturing out along side her father so as to speak to me. I knew but I tried my best to ignore it because I was afraid of where this was leading to.
"What is going on?" I asked softly, tightening my hold on Itachi's hand while Hikari moved so as to lean against me in a comforting manner.
"Ka-san, I want to start my training as a shinobi. I want to be a kunoichi and medic like you. I..."
"No." the word was simple, loud and I made sure that it left no room for argument.
What was Itachi thinking when he'd humored her? When he'd agreed to accompanying her in asking me to train her, to take away her childhood, and teach her how to kill before anyone else her age learned how to do so? If he had been thinking then he hadn't been thinking very well or for very long.
"Ka-san, I..."
"You don't have to rush growing up. You're a smart kid, you'll get ahead when you start the academy so take your time. Just..."
"I want to get stronger now. I want to be able to help you and the clan if anything were to..."
"Don't finish that sentence, please Izakura." I said. All the while sorrow to my tone of voice. I'd known she was more like her father than me, I could see that she was stronger, maybe even stronger than Itachi, but that didn't mean I wanted to train her, to turn her into a tool of the village and of the clan so early in her life.
"Ka-san, I'm not a child and I don't need protecting. I'm old enough, or at least capable of it, to understand what my training, limitations, and my actions would mean."
"Please don't ask me for this Izakura. Not now. I'll train you but I'll train you when you're old enough to start the academy." I said, releasing Itachi's hand and turning to reach for my fallen kunai. However before I could put it away, said kunai was in Izakura's hand and her eyes were narrowed.
"Ka-san, please." she said determinedly.
'What the hell? How the hell did she do that?' my inner wondered while I shook my head.
"Enough. I'll teach you how to heal but..."
"I need to learn how to fight, how defend myself and those..."
"You need to take the time you have and enjoy being a child. Or are you so ready to kill, to take the lives of others as if you had the right to do so." I finally snapped.
"Mistress."
"I know Hikari." I whispered with a sigh.
"Please Izakura you have to understand that I don't want to force you into such a bloody world so soon. You're still young, innocent and..."
"I lost my innocence the day I found you and otou-san fighting against rogue shinobi." Izakura growled, all the while keeping her head down so as to keep her temper.
The mother in me wanted to hug her, wanted to give in and promise her everything she wanted so long as the sadness from her eyes left. However the logic in me was strong and as such I couldn't afford to give in. At least not yet and not so soon.
"That was not by choice."
"Yes, it was. I chose to leave sobo-chan, I chose to go in search of you and I chose to watch!" Izakura exclaimed before lifting up her head up and meeting me head on with crimson glowing eyes.
Instantly a gasp left my lips and Itachi moved so as to stand before me. Now I wasn't sure how triggering a kekkie genkai worked but I sure as hell knew that usually it was triggered with the constant practice of chakra manipulation. Izakura hadn't started that, at least not yet so was anger a trigger too?
"Calm down." Itachi called to her while Hikari left my side so as to try to get to her. However as soon as Izakura saw her moving, noticed and understood what it was Hikari's goal was she jumped away and avoided her.
She'd seen my movements earlier, had seen me train before and so had seen my movements countless times before; but as she moved, as she showed me just how much she'd learned through sight alone I knew that there wasn't any turning back. Her eyes, sharingan bright or not, would remember everything she'd ever seen and learned; even without chakra.
Sighing, and with tears in my eyes, I turned and called Hikari back to my side. Learning was one thing, learning through experience was not something I was going to allow. At least not now. So, giving in to my daughters request I turned my back and whispered.
"Do what you want." and with that I left. Hikari all the while stayed behind but I couldn't. How could I when I was allowing for my child to be trained so young. Yes it was true that in the Uchiha clan it was acceptable for her to start to learn, but that didn't mean that it was for me. She was a little girl still, my little girl, and I didn't want for her to grow up just yet.
So, like I normally did when I was upset or overwhelmed I ran as fast as I could and in search of my parents memorial. Even if they were gone I found comfort by them and even if they couldn't speak I could talk and wonder about what kind of advice my mother would have given me had she still been alive.
~Itachi's POV~
The paper work that came with being the leader of an entire clan was more than what I'd been expecting. However just as the hokage was able to choose an assistant and advisor so had I and as such I'd chosen Shisui to stand at my side. Though he could speak too much at times and he was unable to perform most of the duties that I needed him for, he was my eyes and ears in Konoha and at the ANBU tower.
I'd been in the study for almost three hours when there was a soft knock on the door. The chakra told me who it was and so instead of continuing with my work I placed the files in their folders, covered up the reports, and then called out so as to encourage my daughter to walk in. She was taller now, six years old, and had long maroon hair, pale skin, and deep emerald eyes that constantly reminded me of Sakura.
"Otou-san, can we talk?" she asked tentatively. Clearly she was upset, perhaps frightened by our soon to be conversation.
"Hn."
"I...I wanted to know if you'd accompany me. I want to speak to you and Ka-san about starting my training." as soon as the words left her lips I knew that Sakura would be against her training so early. Though in truth I was her age when my own father took me out for my first training session. True that it could have waited, that he could have allowed me some sort of time so as to adjust; but he hadn't and so I'd grown faster than what I should have. At least according Ka-san and Sakura.
"Izakura, should you choose to go to the academy Sakura and I will not stop you. However training before is not..."
"Is my choice." she interrupted. Without my wanting them too my eyes widened in the slightest before I took control again and stared my daughter in the eyes. Clearly she was determined to begin her training as soon as possible, the question however was why. What was driving her to train now, to grow in strength and power.
"Why do you wish this?" As soon as I'd asked for a reason Izakura's head hung low and she began to speak in a soft tone of voice.
"I want to protect those closes to me...to not be a burden like I had been last year." she spoke. My eyes narrowed.
"You were a child then, you..."
"I chose to follow after you and Ka-san, I chose to go and I knew the risks but didn't care; I should have but I didn't. Now I don't want that to ever happen again. I want to be ready." as she spoke she rose her head, she met me in the eyes and allowed for a sort of determination to take claim of her voice.
Perhaps Sakura thought it best to wait, however clearly Izakura was old enough, in mind at least, to begin, to understand the process needed so as to manipulate one's chakra and so as to understand her limits when training.
"I will accompany you however I can not say for certain that Sakura will agree to this." were my only words before I stood from behind my desk and began to walk toward where Sakura had created her own training field.
Of course Izakura kept up, her speed was faster than most children but only enough to keep an eye on my back. As we got close I could feel Sakura's chakra, could feel Hikari-san with her and so I took to the shadows so as to watch. Izakura had not mentioned that I needed to be seen, only that I accompany her and as such I wanted to watch before going to Sakura's side.
Sakura was going through several different taijutsu sets when we'd stumbled upon her. My chakra, and that of my daughters, was hidden; more so than normal however that had been necessary on my part. Turning so as to inquire about Izakura's hidden presence I found her staring at her mother with wide, admiring eyes.
"You are tense mistress." Hikari-san had noted as she proceeded to dodged a bolder Sakura had thrown her way before attacking the large tiger.
"Is is that obvious?" Sakura sighed as she twisted out of Hikari-san's on coming attack and landed on a near by tree branch. Truly her movements were cat like, as graceful as I'd last seem them and still as powerful as that of Tsunade-sama herself.
"Hai." was Hikari-san's only answer before swirling around and snarling a warning growl. Clearly she had only then taken notice of Izakura's hidden presence. Could feel her watching however could not tell who it was or what it was that was watching her mistress. Upon doing so Izakura took in a deep breath and then walked out to face her mother and the tiger that she'd summoned.
"You know better." Sakura cautioned her while slipping the kunai back into its place. In turn Izakura simply looked around, watched as the ground rose and fell, as the boulders that had been present crumbled apart and as Hikari-san continued to bow a greeting.
"Hikari-san." Izakura greeted Hikari-san; always formal and proper.
"Izakura-san." Hikari-san spoke before turning and looking up to the trees. Clearly I had been sensed before my own daughter. In fact Sakura had more than likely sensed me the instant I began to head in her direction. She was so sensitive to my chakra and I of hers.
"Is there another meeting I need to hold?" she asked hopefully though the look on her face said differently. Nor could I blame her.
Sakura was doing an amazing job with attending to every one of her responsibilities. She was still the head medic at the Konoha hospital, was still a kunoichi full time, lead the Uchiha meetings when needed and on top of everything she continued to look after our daughter. It was difficult, I knew it was, however she was doing a marvelous job.
"Iie." I assured her none the less before jumping from my post on the tree and joining her at her side. Then, silently I took her hand in mine and held it slightly tight. She would need my support, would need my presence for what Izakura was about to ask of her. Especially when she herself was so against it.
"What is going on?" she asked softly, tightening her hold on my hand. Upon noticing Sakura's tension Hikari-san moved so as to lean against her so as to provide some sort of comfort.
"Ka-san, I want to start my training as a shinobi. I want to be a kunoichi and medic like you. I..."
"No." Izakura began to speak. However before she had the opportunity to finish her request Sakura had spoken and she had answered the request.
"Ka-san, I..."
"You don't have to rush growing up. You're a smart kid, you'll get ahead when you start the academy so take your time. Just..."
"I want to get stronger now. I want to be able to help you and the clan if anything were to..."
"Don't finish that sentence, please Izakura." Sakura asked of Izakura.
Clearly Sakura was in pain, she was worried for our child however there truly was no reason for it. Izakura held our blood, had Uchiha blood and Haruno blood within her. She was as cautious as she could be, she was intelligent but more than anything she had inherited her mothers extraordinary strength. She would be safe should she begin her training; Sakura however refused to see what was before her.
"Ka-san, I'm not a child and I don't need protecting. I'm old enough, or at least capable of it, to understand what my training, limitations and my actions would mean."
"Please don't ask me for this Izakura. Not now. I'll train you but I'll train you when you're old enough to start the academy." Sakura continued to insist before releasing her hold on my hand and turning so as to reach for the rest of her fallen kunai. However before she could put the kunai in her hand away, Izakura's body flashed and took said weapon from Sakura's hand.
I'd known that Izakura had potential, I'd known it from the day I'd seen the whole in the Uchiha wall and the way in which she constantly watched all those around. What was more was the extra ability she'd been born with and how well she was able to mask her own chakra. In fact in some ways she was better than most jounin. What I had not known my daughter to be capable of however was the speed in which she'd just moved in.
"Ka-san, please." Izakura said determinedly.
"Enough. I'll teach you how to heal but..."
"I need to learn how to fight, how defend myself and those..."
"You need to take the time you have and enjoy being a child. Or are you so ready to kill, to take the lives of others as if you had the right to do so." Sakura finally snapped.
It was the first time I'd heard her use such a tone when addressing Izakura but I also knew that it wasn't because she was truly angry. Rather it was more because of how she felt, how she thought she was being backed into a corner by the two most important people in her life. Surely Izakura understood this as well.
"Mistress."
"I know Hikari." Sakura whispered with a sigh.
"Please Izakura you have to understand that I don't want to force you into such a bloody world so soon. You're still young, innocent and..."
"I lost my innocence the day I found you and otou-san fighting against rogue shinobi." Izakura growled, all the while keeping her head down.
However as soon as the words had left her lips I saw how they effected Sakura, how they made her want to rush to our daughters side and take her into her arms so as to coo to her; to assure her that everything was alright. That she could start her training. However I knew Sakura and as such I knew that more than likely her logic, the same logic that kept her form training Izakura, was preventing her from doing so.
"That was not by choice."
"Yes, it was. I chose to leave sobo-chan, I chose to go in search of you and I chose to watch!" Izakura exclaimed before lifting up her head and meeting her mothers eyes head on.
That of course was to be expected, especially when she had her mothers stubborn nature. What had not been expected was the sight of Izakura's eyes glowing crimson with the sharingan's symbols in place and completely awakened. Not one or two but three tomoes in the center of her now crimson eyes.
As soon as she noticed Sakura gasped, and I moved so as to stand before her. Had I taken the time to speak with Izakura more perhaps I would have seen the signs, would have known that she was close to triggering the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai. However the clan demanded a lot of it's leader and as such it was difficult to speak with her let alone to sit and have a conversation with Sakura and Izakura both at the same time.
"Calm down." I called to Izakura as calmly as I could. She needed to calm down, to relax so as to not exhaust herself so soon. Meanwhile Hikari-san began to move, to try to make her way around me and to Izakura's side. However as soon as Izakura saw her moving, noticed and understood what it was Hikari-san was planning; Izakura quickly jumped away and avoided her.
It was as she did so, as she jumped back and away like her mother that Sakura's tears began to flow. Clearly she saw what I'd just seen, reasoned that if she could copy movements without her kekkie genkai then the possibilities with it were endless; just as I had noticed. Sighing, and with tears in her eyes, Sakura turned and called Hikari-san back to her side.
"Do what you want." and with those final words Sakura took off at a run.
Instantly I was torn in two. On one hand I wanted nothing more than to follow after my wife so as to comfort her and assure her that our daughter would be fine. That now that she began to train I would be able to accompany her on missions and as such we would be able to see each other more frequently.
However on the other it was clear my daughter needed me. The sharingan took a lot of chakra when first awakened, it nearly drained one of his or her chakra because of the newness and the feeling of such clarity. Or so I had remembered the sensation; but when I turned to face my daughter with my own sharingan glowing eyes I found that her eyes were demanding very little; that like her mother she had the natural ability to use the precise amount needed so as to keep her jutsu or kekkei genkai strong and able.
"Everything is so clear..." Izakura whispered as she turned to look around her surroundings. What she spoke was true, however it did not mean that it would always be as such. Eventually she would realize that the eyes were for fighting and not for seeing.
"Enough, withdraw your chakra Izakura." I called to her and as soon as I did her eyes were emerald once again and she was looking at me with confusion in her eyes. Training her was no longer a possibility but a necessity and as such it could wait another day.
"We will train..."
"Yes!" she exclaimed before slipping into a stance.
"Iie. Tomorrow, at the moment I need to tend to your mother and clear my schedule."
"Hai."
"Izakura, if you train alone you will be watched and I will keep you from training as your mother so desires."
"Ha...Hai." Izakura responded before turning in the direction of the compound and then taking off at a run.
I'd helped one of the women in my life whom I couldn't live without and now it was time to help another. Therefore without thinking I turned in the opposite direction Izakura had and began to make my way toward Sakura and her parents memorial.