Konoha's Weasel Prince
Summary: Itachi never got to use his Susanoo in his fight with Sasuke. As soon as the Kirin hit, he was sent back through time to the founder's era and it was up to him to ensure a safer and surer future for Konoha and the world at large. KisaIta TobiMada HashiMito others mentioned
''Itachi-nii! Madara-sama! You're back!'' Both black haired men looked up from where they were filling out the usual forms upon entering the village at the yell, bracing themselves just in time to not be bowled over by the ever enthusiastic now ten year old Uchiha Kagami, all smiles and rainbows, like always. Madara couldn't help but grunt good-naturally at the boy and Itachi just chuckled, ruffling Kagami's wild curls fondly as the littlest Uchiha snuggled into them, his arms somehow wrapped about both of them. ''Welcome back, Itachi-nii, Shishou. Sensei and I sure missed you.''
''Itachi, yes, but I could have done a few more days without that headache.'' An amused voice said from behind Kagami and all three raven haired males looked up to the Senju albino who stood there with arms crossed and an impassive seeming face. Only in his eyes could you see that Kagami was indeed telling the truth and that the two other men were very much missed. Madara still scowled at his lover while Itachi just shook his head at their antics. Some things never change.
''Well, if that is the case, Senju, then I guess I will not invite you over this fine evening to, hn ... catch up.'' The eldest Uchiha present was definitely smug with the way he tilted his head just a little bit to the side so that his long bangs fell into his right eye despite the hitai-ate pushing it back. The sultry look he sent Tobirama's way had the other man's eyes flashing and Itachi grunted in (mostly) mock disgust.
''Get a room, you two.''
Madara just smirked and sauntered away gracefully, well aware that Tobirama was staring after him. Itachi just rolled his eyes and started the trek towards the Hokage Tower, knowing it will probably be up to him to inform Hashirama of their finds. Besides, having his own lover that he would really like to see but being unable to due to the circumstances under which he was even alive to begin with had Itachi more understanding about Madara's and Tobirama's urges than most others. That didn't stop him from teasing them, like the rest of the village. He was just generally nicer to them.
''Come along, kids.'' The weasel said, letting Kagami take his hand and gesturing with his free hand to the rest of Tobirama's students to follow him. ''Your sensei has other business to attend to for right now.'' Itachi acknowledged Tobirama's grateful nod with a fond smile before he steered the kids away while the Senju went to follow Madara. ''So, tell me, what have you learned in the time I was away?''
''Hiruzen tried to get Tobirama-sensei to teach him Hiraishin but Tobirama-sensei refused, saying it was still a bit too much for us to learn.'' Mikotado Homura said with an amused glance at his teammate, who just stuck his tongue out at him.
''Just you wait. One day, I am going to be a Hokage just like Hashirama-sama!''
''You're just as naive as Hashirama-sama, so that might actually happen.'' Shimura Danzo teased causing Hiruzen to go into a spluttering fit that had the others giggling at his antics. Even Itachi chuckled at the strangeness of Konoha's Advisors and Sandaime Hokage acting like such children, even though that's all they were right now. It was just so different from what Itachi was used from them.
''He just needs to become as strong as Hashirama-sama first, to be Hokage.'' Akamichi Torifu continued the joke.
''But we all know Hiruzen is more likely to go spy on girls in the baths than study and train enough to manage that~!''
''Kagami!''
''What?'' The little Uchiha asked farce innocently. ''You know it's the truth!'' Hiruzen was as red as a tomato by now.
''Don't forget that he'll also need to find someone to fill in Madara-sama's Tobirama-sensei's and Itachi-san's places, too.'' Danzo added again, nodding sagely. ''I call Tobirama-sensei's.''
''No way!'' Utatane Koharu immediately protested. ''You're nothing like Tobirama-sensei! I call Tobirama-sensei's position.''
''Then I call Madara-sama's!''
''I didn't know you had the hoots for Danzo, Homura.'' Now it was Hiruzen giving back as good as he had gotten, laughing like a maniac when his teammate spluttered with an enormous blush on his cheeks.
''Ugh, Hiruzen, that is disgusting!''
''I call Itachi-nii's position!'' Kagami announced proudly, ignoring all the arguing that came about that as well.
''You're more likely to cause a war than to prevent it.''
''You're really mean today, Danzo.''
''Shut up.''
'Ah, this is the craziness of Konohagakure that I am used to.' Itachi thought and just let the kids duke it out. It let him wander in his thoughts and make plans for the future. He will need to have a clear course of action prepared before he asks Mito-san to contact her family, after all.
00000
''I see,'' said redhead murmured after Itachi finished explaining the situation to her since Hashirama was unavailable at the moment, stuck in a meting with his Clan Elders. ''I will contact father and see what we can find out. Other than that, has your trip been successful?''
Itachi nodded, taking a sip of the tea she had served him when he had come over after cleaning up form his mission. ''It went well, all things considered. The weather was on our side most of the journey and the diplomatic meetings went without a hitch, so it is safe to say it was a success. Our connection to the Land of Iron is most definitely secure and, neutral they might be, we have a firm ally, just like Uzushiogakure.''
Mito nodded, studying Itachi as he took a long sip of his tea, suspiciously narrowing her eyebrows when she noticed that he had not even touched his dango that she had went out of her way to hide from Tsunade. Usually, the sweet would have been either half eaten or gone completely, yet here it was, still sitting on the plate on which she had brought it in. That, if nothing else, was a sure tell that something was wrong. She had to push back the years old worry that had not reared its head the last three years that Itachi might be having a relapse but she could sense in his chakra that he is only troubled and not ill. The fact that she could read his chakra so easily was worrying as well, as Itachi mostly kept it stable and indistinguishable.
''Something on your mind?'' The Uzumaki ventured, watching Itachi twitch at her question. So he had fallen deep into his thoughts and she had manged to startle him? While not uncommon that Itachi would sink into his thoughts, he didn't usually visibly startle like that. Which meant that it was important enough that he let the outside world fade away completely. While Mito was honored that he allowed himself to feel safe enough to do so in her company, it was also worrying, as Itachi was almost constantly alert, almost as much as she, Tobirama and Madara were. But they were sensors, so whether they want it or not, they were constantly vigil. She wasn't sure if she could count on one hand that someone had startled Itachi so.
''Hn. Nothing.'' Mito's eyebrow threatened to twitch at that sound. She wasn't sure if it was an Itachi thing anymore or if he had picked it up from the Uchihas. Either way, it was annoying. Both the sound and him trying to brush aside his worried when it was obvious something bothered him.
''Itachi.'' She warned in a tone she usually reserved for Tsunade - and Hashirama; gods, she had thought she had only one child - having learned some time ago that Itachi was affected by that tone of voice. It was the tone a mother used to scold her child and Mito knew she probably shouldn't be using it on Itachi - not because he was a man only a couple of years younger than her, but rather because it was unfair to remind him what he had lost so early on in life. Still, the tone was successful and, with a sigh, Itachi capitulated.
''Kirigakure is in the Land of Water and I am ... curious whether my partner decided to join or if he still stayed with our falling apart organization.'' Which was the closest to the truth that Itachi could say. Kirigakure in particular didn't have to be the village Kisame would join but the side against Tobi was what was important. If he stayed with the Akatsuki, Itachi would be his enemy and if he defected from Akatsuki, even if he didn't join any other village ever again, Itachi could go back to him and they can roam the world together.
Mito winced at the answer. Itachi often spoke so impersonally of his past that people forgot that he wasn't just telling random stories but his own life story. She didn't even know his partner's - and lover's - name but Itachi's feelings about him were obvious. Four years apart - at their behest that he stay, no less - and Itachi still longer for his partner, a loneliness sometimes entering his eyes that no one could chase away. Not even Kagami, who so far seemed to know the most of Itachi's old acquaintances. After all, he was the one who told Tobirama about that cousin of Itachi's, Shisui, whose death Itachi had never gotten over and never would, by the looks of it. Itachi had only once mentioned his little brother by name and so they knew his name was Sasuke, but no one else's name has been mentioned, ever, by the clanless man. He did not drink and even after several sleepless nights he was not uninhibited enough for his tongue to loosen. Itachi kept his secrets close to his heart and never shared them.
Once, Toka had gotten sick of Itachi hiding himself from them and had snapped at him about it, demanding to know if they were somehow unworthy of sharing whatever the burden with him. Itachi had looked her dead in the eye with his own gaze as empty as a bottomless pit and told them, clearly and calmly, that he had only ever shared his burden with two people before, one being his late cousin, the other his lover. It had taken him a few years before he shared anything with his lover after Shisui's death and he will not share after his lover's death ever again. Faced with the coldness of Itachi for the first time ever, they had conceded and Toka had meekly apologized. They never spoke of it again.
"Do you think it's possible he joined?" The Uzumaki asked carefully, wondering why Itachi had even thought about it. Hadn't his lover been in the same organization as him? Hadn't Itachi said that said organization had practically become family? Would Itachi consider the defection a good or a bad thing? So many questions and not a single answer. Had Mito had any less of an even, steady temper, she would have gotten as frustrated as Toka had been when she had snapped at the younger man. How Madara or Izuna hadn't followed suit was miracle enough.
"I honestly don't know. I've been away for half as long as I've known him and a lot can change in that time." The secret Uchiha replied with a tired sigh. The peace that had clung to his existence since the naming of Konoha had evaporated as soon as he heard about Kirigakure's conception. Just the thought that somewhere out there, one of Kisame's ancestors was swearing fealty to the village Kisame would betray - to a village that will betray Kisame - had unsettled Itachi like not even his first encounter with the Yonbi could. Just the thought that Kisame's story was beginning right now was overwhelming to the ex Akatsuki.
"Would he join a village if it meant leaving the organization?" Mito asked again and Itachi sighed wearily again.
"I don't know."
The woman bit her tongue to prevent even more questions from spilling when she saw a bone deep tiredness in her companion. For the first time since she met him, all those years ago, Itachi was not the epitome of peace. He looked uneasy, tired and haggard and she knew it wasn't just because of the mission he had returned from not two hours ago. In all the time that she had known him, it was Itachi who was offering comfort for others. Mito had never once seen him even close to losing his calm and yet he now looked on the very verge of breaking. It worried her how not even Tsunade's high temperature as a baby that one time when she was sick had worried her. There had been nothing to worry about with Tsunade, after all. Both she and Hashirama were marvelous healers and some of their healing abilities had been transfered to their daughter. Itachi, who had never had problems before, was a whole new undiscovered territory and she was the first to see it. Madara would have been too excited to see his lover and brother to notice and the kids that had trailed after Itachi would never be able to see through his careful mask.
To see Itachi so world-weary was as unsettling to her as the thought of Kisame's origins happening right now were to Itachi. A change in topic is in order.
"Izuna is getting antsy." She said after a moment of thought and Itachi looked at her with an arched eyebrow but there was gratefulness in his eyes that belied how much relief he felt at the change of topic. "Hikaku and Tobirama have been teasing and mocking him respectively about the irony of a fiery Uchiha - especially one as flirty as Izuna - getting cold feet." She appreciated the snort this earned her from her companion, a rare thing indeed from the polite man. "He in turn mocked Hikaku for liking that Yamanaka boy and Tobirama for still not daring to pop the question with Madara. Tobirama did not appreciate the reminder. Or Izuna stealing a certain jewelry box my brother in law has been carrying around for the last year."
Itachi couldn't repress a groan as he thought about the two Uchiha-Senju couples. With a careful intervention from Mito, Itachi, Hikaku and Tobirama, they have managed to get Izuna and Toka together maybe half a year after Tobirama and Madara had hot, wild sex in the Uchiha Main House's guest room. Hashirama was bemoaning the fact that he can't be Toka's anything at the wedding and said kunoichi was thanking ever higher force she could think of that her Clan Head was male. Madara was after that able to give back as good as he got in regards to teasing, Izuna having had taken a great delight in teasing Madara about his relationship with Tobirama to the point that Madara had picked - an old one, according to Hikaku - up the habit of throwing Izuna into the koi pond in the Uchiha Compound. Somehow ending up being best friends with Tobirama since then had only made him more unbearable until Tobirama had enough and took Itachi to the side, asked to team up so they can get them to start dating so he can tease both Izuna and Toka about each other, especially since his cousin dearest liked to question him about his sex life. Tobirama's revenge was petty and cruel and Madara loved it.
Especially since Izuna had all but proposed on the first date and especially since Toka said yes. On their first date. Ever.
The matchmakers considered it a success although none of them wanted to know what the new couple had gotten up to when they all but ran out of the restaurant they had been having their dinner date in. Rumors have it that they were worse than Madara and Tobirama. Said couples were insulted. No one was sure which one more so.
Still, since Izuna had technically asked Toka to marry him already, he felt he had the right to tease Madara and Tobirama about them never popping the question for a couple of years before they all found out Tobirama had been carrying a ring on his person for a while now and they were just trying to get him to propose. The younger Senju was still insisting on waiting for the right moment and Izuna and Toka were only getting worse by the day in their teasing. No one and nothing can stop the teasing war and more often than not, there are many casualties caught in the crossfire (be it from embarrassment, shame or simply scaring people for life, no one can tell the exact cause or numbers unless they have witnessed the thing from start to end) and a select few people were getting annoyed with their antics.
One person, unnamed for their own safety, had even dared to go and say that it was even worse than when the four had been arguing every five minutes.
The newly established Police Force were still searching for the one who dared utter such a blasphemy.
Itachi waved away the matter as though it were smoke. ''Izuna-san will get over it once the wedding day comes and he becomes a ball of nervous energy. We just have to endure two more months. Besides, it's his own fault for wanting to have a long engagement.'' It is by far the strangest - and longest, especially for an Uchiha - engagement Itachi had seen so far and the Konoha he had lived in his whole life as well as his career in the Akatsuki have let him meet all sorts of people and see all kinds of things, so that was really saying something. ''Although, we can only hope that Tobirama-san makes a move while they are still young.''
'Or while I am still here,' he thinks to himself, once again feeling the passage of time. It almost felt like when he was sick again, him being aware of every second that ticks by and lessens his chances of fighting Sasuke to let his brother finally avenge their clan and get a second chance at happiness. Time was passing by him and he could feel it. He didn't have much left here, he just didn't know how much longer he can stay. He had honestly expected to disappear from this time when Konoha was formed, or named or made an official village of the Fire Country. He expected to disappear after the first face was carved into the Hokage Mountain. He had expected to disappear long before Tsunade was born. Yet he was still here.
And if he was still here, he wanted to do as much as he could to stabilize this peace. He wanted to find a way to possibly avoid the wars that will come in the future but he knew that will be useless. The biju will soon come into play, one way or the other. He can only hope it won't be because of Madara betraying the village and attacking them with the Kyuubi. Yes, it would change the whole history of the world, and he can't be sure if it will be for better, but it would sure as hell make Kushina-hime's and Naruto-kun's lives easier. Mito-san's, too, as she wouldn't have to become the Kyuubi's first Jinchuuriki.
Too much relied on every single decision Itachi made here. The Konoha Police Force, once run only by the Uchiha, was now filled with Hyuuga, Inuzuka, Nara, Aburame and Hatake. This way, the Uchiha cannot be pushed to the borders of the village. They will not be hated for the job they do, because it won't be just them that's doing it. Tobirama-san had lately been talking about establishing the ANBU - Itachi had barely repressed any reaction he might have made, physical or otherwise, when he heard - and Itachi had been doing his best to set some parameters in regards to mental stability, age and skill. Itachi even had a meeting with the Daimyo about establishing the Twelve Guardian Ninja for him and how that selection should be based. The Daimyo seemed to like him, so Itachi had gone a step further and asked for Konoha's Hokage's not to be politically selected.
That had gotten him a negative response from the Daimyo's council of advisors but the Daimyo had only been confused by the request. Itachi had simply explained that while this Daimyo might not abuse the power of choosing a Hokage, some other might, as was the case with how Danzo came into power. Itachi knew his time of ''death'' hadn't been the best and he knew Danzo was now Hokage, but the powers in Konoha have long since been out of his hands.
Now, he had all of Konoha's internal power right at his fingertips and Itachi was going to change as much as he can and hope the change will stick. He's changed so much already that he feared the Konoha he will return to won't be the one he had been raised in. In fact, there was even a possibility that he won't be born at all. Naruto, Sasuke, they sure as hell will. Something in Hashirama's and Madara's chakra felt the same as Naruto's and Sasuke's and Itachi had been looking through the Senju's and the Uchiha's books since the library in Konoha had been founded to find out just what it was. There was something Sasuke and Naruto were needed for so they will be born, but for the rest, it was still only a 50% chance. Itachi as he had been might never exist again so he had to ensure everything will be okay.
Mito laughed, drawing him out of his thoughts and lighting up the mood that had weighted him down. ''One can only hope, my friend.'' She said through her giggles and Itachi felt his won mouth twitch upwards in an amused smile.
Hope, indeed. No matter what he did here, he can only hope it will turn out okay. Soon, it will all be beyond his hands and Itachi will only be able to hope for the best.
And that sounds surprisingly okay.