Disclaimer: If I were the owner of Naruto I wouldn't have made Naruto so pathetic when Sasuke was involved.
It was another beautiful day in Konoha, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping. Kids were running or playing while the parents were talking between themselves about their lives with their families.
The gentle breeze which caressed my face told me that it was going to be a good day for me, and I really started to believe when I found a coin on the road; though it was only a ryo, free money is free money and was always welcome to my pocket.
But the truth is that I was only fooling myself, I was foolishly attempting to fool myself because it wasn't going to be a good day; not by a long shot. I had been thinking and thinking over and over again and also had been thinking on every possible outcome and how to deal with it in the best way possible so I could get something from it and the worst case of scenarios nothing would be lost or won.
All of that was tiresome for my brain, it was a burden which I was always carrying with me which I was the only one to carry because nobody could or would help me to ease the burden. Many things I wished or hoped, but hoping was pointless just as wishes, one can only trust the reality and the logical possibilities. For example, when you are falling you only wait to meet the ground not that somehow a big bird will prevent you from falling.
I preferred to center my thought in realism rather than pointless possibilities or better-called impossibilities.
But despite everything I decided to proceed with my plan because there was no more time; honestly, there is always time for everything but postponing was an option which couldn't be accepted for the risk that things could go FUBAR; time was essential and couldn't be ignored. The Kyuubi attack was the responsible for my overzealous attitude toward the topic of time, if I wasn't that careless I would have prepared myself to deal with the situation better far better from what I did years ago.
But the past is in past and must remain buried forever, that's my line to deal with the past suffering when the old wounds try to re-open once again and pester my mind, Naruto is now my family and I'm slowly liking Hiruzen more so maybe one day I would also call him Jiji just like Naruto does.
I lost but also gained to replace what was lost.
So maybe you never lose but only leave a vacant place for another thing that is similar or even better to take its place.
At first I the doubt was very strong lingering on my mind and giving a lot of goosebump at my gut; though there was nothing that could have been done because anybody would be this nervous if they were about to pull the same move like me.
It was going to be the biggest gamble of my entire life, and I meant both of them.
Everything was stake but at the same time nothing.
It was confusing to say at least.
Not really.
From my perspective mind you.
Anyways with the same plan being repeated over and over again in my head I actually memorized the exact words, it was eating me alive the stress and the burden felt a heavy weight on my back and every step which I gave sent jolts of electricity to my spine that if I didn't have better control of myself I could be practically jumping on every step.
The scenario was still the same, in the same park, with the same people and the same trees. But the environment, not same mind you, was different not that it looked different but it felt different. It wasn't alive and cheerful like the one I left behind but it was more monotonous sterner; the silence only strengthened the point.
But when one decides to sit and analyze the sudden change can be comprehended because the zone wasn't meant for young families, it was meant for people of the third age.
Though there weren't many of those around.
Well mostly for the case of the shinobi but even for civilians become old was also quite an accomplishment because those also don't survive that long on this world, bandits, rogue-nin or wild animals. Lose your youth was something truly frightening, maybe that's why Mighty Gai always screams youth and preaching about it like some kind of religion, hilariously stupid if you ask me, but at same time should be respected because he is somebody who almost killed Madara Uchiha thanks to his forbidden technique of the 8 Inner Gates; which reminds me that I should take a look into it because it is a very useful power-up. Even if it requires a lot of physical hard work.
So I kept going forward as I was trying to maintain my posture to the public eye, the person who radiates confidence with every step.
Honestly, I was proud of myself when I didn't crumble at the pot when my target was within my field of vision, the darkish aura was overwhelming very similar to KI but with the difference that it wasn't mentally affecting me or suggesting me to kill myself too avoid potential suffering.
I was already too involved to back away.
"Hello Elder-sama, I heard that are very skilled in Shogi so I wanted to test myself." I took my seat in front of my target, then I placed the board followed by the pieces, he allowed me to continue but that lone eye was emitting very powerful aura which wanted to crush me.
"I wonder who told you that Kichiro, perhaps Hiruzen?" His cold reply completely froze me on the spot, a knot formed on my throat as my breaths stopped.
I didn't know how much time passed but my focus wasn't on that, I felt like all my months of careful planning were for nothing. And it was soul-crushing.
I only looked at him with wide eyes stopping myself from uttering a word, it could only make the situation worse for myself.
"How I know is not of your business Kichiro, so just as I know your name you also know mine, am I correct?" His tone was so calm yet I was feeling completely defeated.
"You are correct Danzo-sama." What more could I say? My quick thinking was failing me and didn't and the contingency plans were being destroyed one by one, I only had the last resort which never expected to use it so quickly.
Surprise, my target all this was Danzo Shimura. Now you could understand why I sent Hyuuga to inspect him, I wanted to know if he possessed the implanted sharingans after all nothing can get past the Byakugan, even if he sealed them then it would leave a void space which would be odd because there is a clear difference between a void space from an empty one. But maybe he didn't get them yet and I was unsure when he would get them if he actually gets the sharingans; because from what I gathered all the eyes from the Uchihas had been destroyed or stolen. Danzo could have been the responsible but Itachi wouldn't have accepted that and outright destroy him so Obito was the most possible candidate because from what I could remember he had a room filled with sharingans.
But why I was interested in Danzo?
I should stay the hell away from him and try to get rid of him as quickly as possible, when I was 3 that may have been one of my objectives because he would have been a nuisance to my plans but after talking with Hiruzen and reading from his library I discovered a very interesting piece of history from the times when the Konoha was recently founded.
Root always existed.
And Tobirama Senju was the founder and first leader of Root, passing the leadership to Danzo Shimura; his student.
And is very logical because every nation always had a department dedicated only to black ops, people ready to do the unspeakable just for the betterment of the nation. After all the truth was a war is never over, it just passed to the shadows; an open war is only a formality because all the villages are in constant war even with Suna who is supposed to be our ally.
And everything that I needed to do and wanted to do, could only be done through the shadows.
My original plan was to engage conversation with him with the excuse of a casual game of shogi, from there I would follow a topic depending on the situation.
"I am sure that your intentions were not to play a match of Shogi against me but to use it as an excuse to avoid suspiciously, am I correct again?" He shifted the position of his seat to properly face me.
"Yes." I nodded yet I was very close to stutter.
"So let's start with this cover." His only normal arms signaled the whole board.
He was the first to move, a pawn was first to go to the frontlines.
"Explain why did you want to speak with me."
I replied with the same move. "I heard the Hokage mention your name."
I almost flinched when he placed the next piece with force creating a blunt sound from the board. "Don't lie to me boy."
I took very deeps breaths trying to calm myself, my nerves skyrocket with his last actions as I was sweating bullets. I felt so stupid to believe that I could play him on my hands, he was a shinobi with decades of experience while I was a person with knowledge of possible future and outcomes and also the past, but I couldn't hope to match the present. I was feeling cornered, very dangerously cornered; or maybe it was the aura that was always present which put me in that position.
Either way, I just pulled my last resort.
"We are the unseen one who supports the great tree of Konoha from the depths of earth." And just like that his posture stiffened and leaned back from the board.
There was silence between us, we could hear the passing breezes and flying leaves. However, the aura and the crushing feeling above me was gone in an instant.
"I am not going to question how you know that but I will ask why?" He did his next move as inquiring about my last sentence.
I couldn't explain but all of my confidence returned in a brim, t was like the aura was responsible of my failure and fears. I wasn't nervous anymore, perhaps it was a layer of defense on his part which can break the weak spirit.
"I have my reasons Danzo-sama." I wasn't going to explain he only needed to know what he needed to know nothing more and nothing less.
And my next move was done.
He captured one of my pawns and I never saw that coming.
"Being vague is not the way to be." I lost a pawn and I couldn't recover it and probably I could lose even more with my next move.
"The world is filled with deceit, why this should be different?" I didn't attack either defend just a neutral movement.
"An interesting answer." He replied in kind, a bishop was positioned to a very interesting position.
"May I ask you a question?" I kept moving my pawns, my eyes staring back at him.
"You may." He nodded.
"Do you want to become Hokage?" I didn't move a piece this time, I stared at him directly to his eye and I regretted that action, I felt how he pierced my eyes and reached my soul like he tried to rip it away from me.
"Why would you like to know that?" He didn't show any interest however, he kept his stoic face.
"Curiosity." I shrugged.
"Curiosity killed the cat." And just like that, another pawn of mine was gone and there was nothing I could do.
Geez, I felt as if he was just playing with me as if I was nothing more like a nuisance.
"Only if it was stupid enough to do not back away in the correct moment." I countered his statement with mine, it was obvious that curiosity can be both good and bad but one must know when to back away.
Danzo again was silent for a moment but his focus was on the board, I didn't believe for one second that I had him on a hard situation which forced him to take his time to think on a counter strategy but the most logical possibility that he was thinking his answer very carefully. I didn't like when he was silent and coldly calculating his next words.
After long agonizing seconds, he spoke.
"The title of the Hokage is given not because of the power of what one posse but also the approval of the village, Hiruzen is a charismatic leader loved by everybody and would give their lives for him without a second thought."
I didn't know his hidden intentions with that answer but he was indirectly telling me that he wasn't interested in being a Hokage.
"Hiruzen is just like Hashirama, he posses the Will of fire and has that aura which tells you that you aren't in front of a leader but of a friend which you can always count if trouble arises."
I believed him as much as I believed a crippled man to fight against an army and come out victorious.
"And Minato followed that example as well, he was supposed to become one of the most powerful shinobi of the Elemental nations and inherit the title of Kami no Shinobi."
But I will never know if he was telling the truth and if he somehow would get the sharingans.
"So you aren't interested to become the Hokage then." I just said, a quick reply to his long stupid speech.
"Do you think I would take the title despite nobody would be willing to fight for me or die?" He narrowed his lone eye, his wrinkles also moved along as if he felt insulted. It was a very difficult situation I tell you.
"Perhaps, every spoken answer are relative." Again I shrugged my shoulders showed my disinterest.
"That is true, lies can be found anywhere and at any time." He didn't take it as an offense, is more I don't think that he actually cared at all and was faking every reaction just to see how would I react.
After losing many pieces I finally managed to capture a pawn of him, not before I released a tired sigh."So my question has never been answered."
I didn't know when but it just happened.
It was so fast for my eye to see.
My bishop was there right fucking there but then was replaced by his knight, and what worried me more was that I didn't even blink.
"It has been answered but is up to you to believe me or not." And the aura that had been crushing me returned to finish what it started. "I ask you again Kichiro, why?" However, I was accustomed to or I believed to be capable to handle it better.
I took his knight with force, fatal mistake because it looked as if was directly challenging him. "I have a reason that can't be spoken out in the public."
He was unfazed by my mistake. "I see."
We didn't speak more, after all we said, everything that we should have said on a public space. In that we had a silent agreement, confidentiality was important because nobody knows when there were peering ears that shouldn't be getting involved at all.
Sadly it didn't last as much as I hoped.
He ended the match in 10 moves, totally crushing me.
"We will continue at a later time, this match is over and is your loss."
I nodded hiding the shock of how he defeated me so efficiently and swift.
I stood up from my seat and bowed. "Until we meet again Danzo-sama."
And I used shunshin to get away from there as fast as possible, being there made me sick terribly sick.
I almost threw up my breakfast when nobody was looking at me.
But at least I felt a safer when I made a good distance enough to not be on my line of sight.
Though only one thing mattered at the moment.
I pulled it off, somehow I managed to do a part of my plan. If I wasn't a nerve wrecking mess I would be laughing to everyone to see and mark me as mental, I had no idea yet I had many ideas and it confused me a lot.
I felt terrible and good at the same time.
Recollecting my thoughts and putting them in a straight line I came to the conclusion that I needed a drink.
Well, not a one with alcohol because I wasn't an adult yet so apple juice would do nicely.
Yet I ended up throwing up the moment I arrived.
The Moon was already there giving us natural light, however, it wasn't that late, from a window one could see people walking on the streets and finding their own way for entertainment.
But for Naruto it was time to go to sleep, she needed one if she wanted to be at one hundred percent for tomorrow's exam. I promised her that if her marks were above 90 I would let her eat all the dango that she wants, or what we could afford without going broke. Though it was besides the point of why it mattered the night of that day.
"Where are you going Onii-chan?" Naruto was already on the bed, wearing her new pajamas with included her santa's hat with a big plushy popon. Her hair was totally down which I took my time to comb because I wanted to avoid a very tiresome morning into combing it back to its original form.
Those were the morning when I thinking about cutting her hair so it would be far eaasier to deal with it.
"I have to go and meet with my potential sensei, so after my graduation, I will become his apprentice." It wasn't exactly a lie but it also wasn't the truth, even if it wasn't a direct lie it left a terrible taste in my mouth.
"Cool." Such innocence, I felt so bad at remembering that in the ninja world innocence is lost at a very young age. "Can I go too?"
Is better that you never go to that place Naruto you belong to be here and make more friends.
"No, you can't" I answered.
"Why?" She tilted her head to the right a bit confused, after all, we always did things together.
"Because he can only accept one to become his apprentice." That was a lie and it felt far worse from what I told her earlier. However, Naruto was never going to get near Danzo and I was relieved at knowing that Hiruzen would be there for her to avoid this meeting.
"Oh…" She looked down, disappointed I could say but not sad, which was good because I didn't want to leave her heartbroken.
"Don't be sad, I have a very good feeling that your future sensei will be great; in both aspects." I smiled, since it was true Kakashi despite his many defects is a great person along with Jiraiya who is a pervert but you can trust him no matter what.
She also gave me a genuine smile.
"Go to sleep tomorrow you have classes." And I pulled the blankets over her so she could be warm and comfy there.
I kissed her forehead and took my leave.
Normally that was the part where I went to my room to sleep but as I said before the night was different from the others, I went to my closet and grabbed the first sweater I got with my hands. From there I closed the door of my room and went to the entrance.
Before I opened said door I took deep breaths for mental preparation because I was going back to the monster which resides under the great tree of Konoha.
And I was outside.
But not alone.
"Don't ask any questions and do not speak, just follow."
I nodded.
He took the lead.
And so I followed.
AN: NUUUUUUU I CAN'T BELEIVE IT WHY HIM?!
Honestly, I like the character of Danzo but I hate how he was portrayed in canon, he only was only used as power hungry fool who doesn't understand that his actions only created more enemies and problems. He is pretty much every country dark side and those dark sides know very well how the world moves and how one should act.
I the majority of stories Danzo is not correctly portrayed or is used just as the canon or simply the bash him or outright kill him.
I don't mean that there should be stories that Danzo should be a good guy, i mean that he should be the same cold motherfucker but properly used, just like in "The sealed Kunai" Best story ever if I might add. Or "Ghost" Also an awesome story with a perfect portrayed Danzo very logical and cold.
Next chapter will be harder to write tho.
Dammit, what have I done….
