Chapter 7.: Family

After setting of from the harbours both Naruto and Nagato were on their way to the capital, it almost took a whole month to cross the vast seas and they were only a few days to their home. As they reached the core regions also known as "The Heart of the Empire" both men stopped at a small village to rest their mounts. During this recess Naruto wandered of a bit while his uncle took care of the horses. As he walked along the paths and roads he found a nice sunny field with lots of flowers with it. He inhaled the sweet scents of the beautiful herbs but noticed a very familiar scent as well. Lavender, a simple but yet still precious flower to him, he puck the flower and sniffed it deeply. It always made him remember of her, the colour and the scent. That lovely scent that he got used to when ever they were together. He puck a few more then headed back to the settlement where his uncle was waiting for him to return.

- Where were you? – He asked.

- Walking. – Naruto answered him plainly and secretly put the bouquet of lavenders in his saddlebag.


- Lord Itachi. – asked a man outside of his office, asking for permission to enter.

- Come in. – he answered.

- Thank you, here are the reports from the norther region, ther was a…

- Smaller unrest, I know but did… they interfered? – Itachi asked his subordinate raising an eyebrow.

- Well… we don't know, well for sure. The secret police always hide their tracks very well.

- I expect nothing less, anything else? – He said as looked through some of the papers.

- No sir, I shall return to my duties. – Then he left the room.

Uchiha Itachi was a man in his early thirties but had a very good reasoning skill for his age. At such young age he had to carry on his father's duty of the law enforcement of The Empire. The Uchiha clan usually dealt with regular crimes and criminal who threat the order with in the nation. They were a branch of a much more shadowy organization that ensured that people were thinking right.

Itachi was about to leave his office until he stopped by the door and sighted.

- I should say come in but it seems you already let yourself in. – then he turned just to see another black haired man with glasses, wearing an opened up trech coat like robe reaveling some of his clothing. In his right hand he held his hat which he took off a moment ago. – What is whit being stealthy again, Kamoto?

- Business as usual. – he shrugged.

- So?

- I see you have your hands full. – He said as he looked at the reports. – Thugs giving you trouble?

- Nothing that cannot be dealt with.

- Good, so anything special?

- At the moment nothing.

- And your family?

- They are alright, for now. – He added the last part as he looked him in the eyes.

- Whoa… don't give me that look; I'm not the same person that he was. I only lock people up who are guilty, not suspicious.

- True, but still… you are too precise.

- Indeed, but that's why I like you, you can almost read people like books, well not as good as me but fair enough, your father would be proud.

- I know… I know.

- And with your brother too or not?

- You are starting it again.

- I'm not starting anything, I just don't really trust the look on his face whenever we meet or he deals with my men.

- He is always like this, don't pay attention to it.

- Well you know I can't do that. – He laughed out a bit. – But let's get serious, your brother is trubling me. My offer still stands, allow him to train with my men.

- I think that would do more harm then use, you would get stabbed qiucker. – Itachi stated.

- I highly doubt that, but either this or some rehabilitation, which is more painfull than training itself.

- I'll consider it but if you excuse me I have a small family meeting called luch to attend to. – Itachi said as he turned his back on Kamoto and walked out from the room.

At the Uchiha compund's training fields a young man with a similar dark and spiky hair trained with undying passion. His only weapon was a nicely forged and sharped katana which easily sliced through the metalic armore that the dummies wore. With special tags he could make these objects come to life and use them as moving opponents for more intense combat situations. For this session he activated ten twice as more then yesterday. These artifical opponents cannot be taken lightly since their combat skills are mostly based upon one person, the head of the clan.

In the background a woman around her mid forties was watching as his son was parrying and countering the attacks of the dummies. She always watched him train proudly but also with some anxiety since he tended to over do it most of the time leaving him exhausted to death. She felt a guilty that she can't help him, since training was one metod for him to releave some pain in his heart and no matter how much she tried to comfort him he always turned her down saying not to since she isn't the one who needs to be blamed.

The door leading to the porch where the woman was watching his younger son slid open, she turned and seeing who it was greeted his elder son with a warm smile.

- Itachi, finished so soon? – She asked him.

- Yes, I always make time for lunch with family, mother. – He replied giving her a reliefing look. – Is he tiering himself again? – He said as he looked at his younger brother.

- Unfortunatly yes but I'll call him in so…

- No need for it, I'll go. – He motioned her to sit back while he started to walk towards his fighting brother.

Sasuke was busy with his own combat at the moment so he didn't notice that his elder brother came home. One of his opponent managed to flank him and was about to make a fatal blow. He noticed it but it was to close to block it and Sasuke was ready for the pain to come but it didn't. As he opened his eyes he saw that a kunai pierced the tag on the dummy's face making him incapable to move and collapsed bafor him. In an instant the same happened to the rest of the dummies as well, he looked to his side and saw his brother approaching with a calm experssion still holding a spare kunai in his right hand. Without a second though he charged at him but Itachi easily blocked the sword with the daggern, he knew this was going to happen so he planned ahead.

- Why did you interfer? – Sasuke growled at him in annoyance.

- Mother wants you to stop trainig and come in. – He replied calmly.

- I could have won.

- No you couldn't, the one on our right would have cut you causing a fatal damage on the right of your torso. Even for a minute you would flinch giving a perfect opportunity for the one at the front for attack while the other two at your left would have pierced you to death. Well that is of course if these things would think like me or not?

Sasuke didn't answer but tilted back and sheated his sword still looking mad at him. Both brothers started to walk inside where their mother was waiting for them.

As they sat at the dining table the atmosphere was rather cold between the two brothers. Mikoto's heart ached at the two; they were like this since her husband's death or more likely sacrifice. 11 years ago among the Uchiha a small but radical group rose. Their objective was to overthrow the emperor for the atrocities that his progenitor Tobirama the Second did decades ago. The group of anarchists was discovered by the emperor and after a long trial, was sentenced to death. A day before it was carried out, Fugaku intercepted the judges by offering his life instead of their's. This action of his shocked the whole court along with the emperor, when they asked his reasons he only answered that he was only doing what is necessary to avoid a civil war.

The culprits were released and their group was disbanded, on that faithfull day Fugaku was ordered to prepare the Harakiri since his honor recommended it. On the way to the execution ground he was allowed to speak a few words to his sons. He said his farewells and gave them his last will where Itachi took his place as clan leader and Sasuke his second hand, but the most important were his final words.

At the dining table the small family ate their lunch quietly both brothers giving each other cold glares, finally Mikoto broke the silence:

- Itachi, you seem stressed about something, does work give you a hard time?

- Well… yes and no, mother I didn't realize that it is so visible on me, I'm sorry.

- No need for it my son, but you should take a small break from duty and spend more time with us. I don't even remember a time when all of us were together for a day.

- Yes, - Sasuke joined in – eversince you let father die. – He spat it out coldly.

- Sasuke! – His mother tried to intercept the up coming argument.

- Mother, let me handle it. We already talked about this and both of us know no one is to be blamed for…

- Yes there is! – Sasuke slammed his left hand on the table – The thing you call justice and those men who you are reporting to. Brother, you are much wiser than me then why don't you see that our family is being used.

- It is because no one is being used in our family that's why.

- Liar… you know something, you always did… how dare you keep it from us, from me and especially from mother. – He shouted out loud.

- That is because to protect you from it. Sasuke, you are a man now and you are still upset about something that happened many years ago, when will you move on?

- Until I have justice on those who killed him!

- No one killed him you ignorant brat! – Itachi said sounding annoyed and angry, he was slowly loseing his patience. – He choosed death himself to prevent the family to be wiped out, we must respect his sacrifice and move on not commiting the same reason he died to prevent.

- You dare to talk; you didn't do anything to save him!

- Beacause I couldn't! – Now both Itachi and Sasuke jumped up from their seats and were ready to jump at each other. – There are thing you can't see here for a reason, so you better calm down and stay put or…

- Or what, brother? Are they going to lock me up or what?

- They kill you. – Itachi said it with a cold tone.

Mikoto got shocked by hearing this, she didn't have the slightes clue what her eldest son was talking about but hearing that one of her son's life is in danger made her more than anxious.

- What?

- Kamoto is not like Danzo who would let anything get pass his watch if it serves his benefits. He will hunt you down and not only you but us. You do know that the Uchiha's aren't getting on well with him.

- Watched!? You knew this and you mention it now? How far did you fall brother?

- Nowhere.

- Fine, then let them come, that clown and his pests won't be a challenge.

- You surely underestimate him, he more capable than he looks; he isn't Elite for joke. Also did you forget what we promised to father? Did you forget?

Sasuke only could remain silent, he remembered it quite well.

- We promised not to fall for vengance or hate, and what you want to do is the exact opposite what father wanted us to do.

Both brothers stayed silent but still looked at each other in anger while their mother bowed her head in pain and sadness.


Nagato and Naruto finally reached the outskirts of the bustling capital; they went through the massive ports and docks and finally enjoyed the familiar enviroment. The docks were busy as always and some of them were occupied by foreign ships. He also noticed familiar sights like the soldiers who were loading supplies to one of those monostrous vessel. They wore standard grey light armore and tradicional Asian strawhats, like any other imperial soldiers they carried swords on their side but these were different. They were the base of the modern foreign warfare, regulars and the crest on their chest piece indicated who they belonged to, Kamoto.

In the crowd a tall figure half human, half beast clearly stood out from the regulars, Naruto noticed the familiar figure and waved at him. He seemed not to notice them since he was busy consulting with another man also familiar to him, after all those two were the generals who worked under his "brother".

- Naruto, please hurry! – Said Nagato as he saw that his nephew was far behind him.

Naruto stedied his mount then gallopped towards him, so close to home now, and so close to her.

- What are we going to do first? Report or go and visit mother?

- You can do the latter; I'll go and handle the speaking.

- Thank you, then I'll go ahead.

Nagato watched as Naruto ride further into the crowd towards the gates of the central area, he felt such reliefe that he managed to keep him safe but also he had many questions in his head.


Sorry for grammar or spelling mistakes, also I'd like to know how do you like it so far.

I know at some pionts it progresses slowly but it is necessary to know some background story to understand their actions later, cause I didn't use too much canon material so forgive me when some charaters may seem off a bit.

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto + Bleach (references) belongs to Kubo Tite