Chapter Sixteen
"Welcome back, Hokage-sama." Izumo greeted as their village leader and his entourage approached the gates.
Heading the group was ANBU team Ro, along with Lord Uchiha and the Hokage. Next were Lady Uchiha, her youngest son, and Naruto, the latter partially hidden behind the raven. Then came a hulking blue skinned man locked in a seemingly fierce debate with Uchiha Shisui, Itachi's ANBU team bringing up the rear.
At the chunin's words, their Kage chuckled, his dark eyes warm even as something dangerous simmered beneath the surface.
"Thank you, Izumo-kun. It was an eventful trip, but successful."
Kotetsu nodded, raising an eyebrow as Itachi's team vanished. Still, knowing better than to question it, he said nothing. Instead, he watched as the blue man tensed, and stepped forward.
"State your name and purpose."
Beady amber eyes narrowed in on him. "Hoshigaki Kisame, former Nuke-nin of Kirigakure. Rank S. I'm here to apply for citizenship on the grounds of political marriage."
The guard's eyes widened and he shot a glance at the Hokage, who nodded and handed him an official looking pardon stamped with a seal he'd rarely seen.
Amegakure.
Skimming over it, he blinked and snuck a glance at the hulking behemoth again. Then he shook his head and hand handed the document back to his leader, jotting down Hoshigaki's information. With a brief word of farewell, he watched them leave then turned to his partner.
"You'll never believe who he's marrying."
Izumo raised an eyebrow, glancing at the clipboard, then back up at his partner incredulously.
"Holy Shit."
"Yep."
*/*
Uchiha Kouga was panicking.
Only two weeks into their Clan head's trip, both the man's wife and youngest son had vanished from the main house as had the jinchuriki.
Worse, the village council seemed to think they were going to use the child against the village, and had ben stationing more and more ANBU around the compound, KI thick in the air. The tensions between them had worsened so much that they hadn't even been able to send their children back to the academy. Instead, they'd locked the compound down, refusing to leave even to visit the market. Everything they needed was traded amongst themselves and as time went on, he could feel his kin's resentment for the rest of the village growing.
Something had to be done.
Worn dark eyes watched as the meeting their owner had called settled in, hoping they could have everything settled before Fugaku returned. Instead, just as he stood to speak the door opened.
He turned to berate the late comer, then froze.
Lord and Lady Uchiha were both present, as was young Sasuke, the latter glaring at them all with a darkness in his gaze that belied his young age.
"U-Uchiha-Sama!"
For a moment, Fugaku stared at them all. Emotion played across his face too fast to discern a single one, a new weight tensing his frame.
"Starting today, I am calling off the Plan."
Kouga felt his heart stop.
What?
Their one chance to regain their standing in the village, to regain their honor and he was throwing it all away? All the years of planning and being blamed for crimes they'd had no hand in?
How could he do this to them?!
To the Clan?!
He voiced his opinion, his outrage clear in his own weathered features and to his surprise it was neither Mikoto nor Fugaku that answered.
It was Sasuke.
"The Clan? If you continue to go down the path you're walking there won't be a
Clan! The elders are one step from ordering our deaths, you arrogant sycophant!"
Kouga glared at him. "What would you know about the elders, gaki! You shouldn't even be in this meeting! The only ones allowed are genin or sharingan-active children. You are nei-"
His words died in his throat as he suddenly found himself staring into a spinning arabesque flower sharingan, the likes of which he'd never seen.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke." The boy snarled, nothing like the innocent gaki he remembered always following Itachi around. "I know more about the Clan's future than you could ever know or hope to experience! I know Danzo is the one who framed us for the Kyuubi attack. I know that as of now Danzo will be suffering a heart attack that will kill him in his sleep. Sadly, Homura and Koharu will suffer similar fates. I know we have an alibi to keep the blame from us, as well as the potential for a higher standing in the village."
Fugaku took over, not giving them a chance to get over their shock. "As of Itachi's seventeenth birthday, he will begin his training as the future Godaime Hokage of Konoha."
There was a stunned silence, but the man continued as if he hadn't noticed. "Also, we will unfortunately miss Danzo-sama's funeral on accounts of celebrating my son's wedding.
"W-who?" Kouga asked faintly, and his clan head smirked. "As part of the treaty with Amegakure and his training as the Hokage, Itachi agreed to a political marriage to Amekage-sama's bodyguard. He will also be serving as our primary ambassador to the country."
"He's still a child!"
Fugaku shook his head. "During our trip to Ame, we were attacked by a shinobi from Kumo. One of the jutsu he used age my son forward. As of two weeks ago, Itachi is sixteen years old."
He finally fell silent, allowing them to digest the information. Kouga, however, only had one more concern.
"The ANBU guards?"
"Will be gone by the end of the month."
Nodding he turned to the rest of the Clan council. "All in agreement of discarding the plan, say aye."
The answer was unanimous.
After a moment Kouga smiled. Looks like something was going to change after all.
Just as he began to relax, the space beside their Clan Head warped, a man appearing in the formerly empty space. Fugaku didn't even flinch, while his wife sent the newcomer a disapproving look. The young man gave a wan, sheepish smile.
Sasuke glared at the man, while the council tensed.
"Next order of business," Lord Uchiha rumbled, and to their surprise, his mangekyo flashed briefly, spinning and furious. "The trial and resurrection of Uchiha Obito."
The scarred young man's head snapped up.
"T-trial?"
A dangerous gleam danced in Fugaku's eyes, eerily reminiscent of the war and Kouga felt a shudder race down his spine.
Very few survived the wrath of Uchiha Fugaku, especially when the darkness hidden behind his stoicism raised its head. It was the reason Iwa had a 'flee on sight' order for the man.
What had Obito done to awaken that ire? After all, the boy was supposed to be dead, and if his scars were any indication, he hadn't escaped that fate.
"Itachi forgave you. I did not."
Itachi?
What?
Another elder leaned forward, a woman two years Kouga's senior named Kara.
Her dark eyes were keen, sharp as they stared at the four before them.
"Explain." She ordered, her voice soft but firm.
Mikoto nodded, sending her husband a hesitant look. "During Fugaku's trip to
Ame, Obito kidnapped Sasuke and I, as well as Naruto-kun to use us as leverage. We discovered that he'd been rescued from Kannabi bridge and nursed back to health only to happen upon Kakashi-san and Rin-san during the accident that resulted in Rin-san's death. He blamed Konoha and vowed revenge. It was his actions that led to the Kyuubi attack and would have ultimately led to the deaths of our entire clan. He's also the person that killed Itachi's first genin team. Granted we also discovered that he was being heavily influenced on all accounts."
Kouga stared at the young man, watching as pain flashed in his eyes with each crime listed. The way his shoulders grew tenser with each word.
Sharing a look with his fellow elders, he glanced at Fugaku.
"What do you propose we do?"
"Normally, the weight of his crimes would be enough for a death sentence.
However, as he was under extreme duress, I would like to offer an alternative. I suggest we seal his Sharingan for a year. Afterwards, his behavior will be reevaluated and a new sentence will be issued or he will be acquitted."
Kara hummed. "Two years."
"Agreed."
Standing she turned to Obito, her heart clenching at the resignation in his single visible eye, the other hidden beneath his hiate in a manor eerily similar to how the eye-thief wore his.
"Uchiha Obito, do you understand the crimes levied against you and the sentence issued?"
"I do."
She nodded and gestured for Fugaku to join her. The clan head removed a pot of ink from his kunai pouch, drawing the seal with nary a word. A single pulse of chakra and Obito sharingan faded into a pale gray color, as if all the color had been washed from it.
He bore it with a soft gasp and gritted teeth.
"Very well. A new trial date will be set for you exactly two years from now upon which your behavior will be evaluated and a new sentence will be issued or you will be acquitted. This meeting is now adjourned."
*/*
"Mission report."
Five ANBU bowed as one, their leader speaking in a quiet even tone.
"Two Hundred and Ninety-two casualties, including the elders Shimura Danzo,
Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura. It is unfortunate to inform you that your teammate Homura suffered a broken neck after falling. Meanwhile, Danzo and Koharu were having tea together. It's unfortunate that they suffered heart attacks one after each other."
"And the rest?"
"Currently enjoying Ibiki-san's hospitality."
Humming, the Kage nodded. "Dismissed. Weasel, stay behind."
With nary a word, the anbu squad vanished, only the young captain remaining.
Alone, he removed his mask, revealing the weary face of the Uchiha Clan heir.
"You'll never know how grateful I am for all that you have done for our village, Itachi-kun. I have never met a shinobi more dedicated to our will of fire and yet more humble, despite having the ability to back up what most would consider bragging. Because of this, I would like to nominate you as my successor, effective as of your seventeenth birthday."
Stunned, the younger man stared at him, his dark eyes wide. "That- if we go by my physical age...that is only a year from now." He pointed out, voice faint.
Sarutobi chuckled. "Fret not. I plan to hold this office for a few years yet. On the date that would have originally been your seventeenth birthday. Until then, I had another position in mind."
Tilting his head, the teen hummed inquisitively. "Naruto-Kun informed me that during your original future, Mizuki-sensei was a spy trying to steal the forbidden scroll for Orochimaru Upon investigating, we found various different plans to steal the scroll and frame Naruto, before killing him. He is currently in Ibiki-kun's care. Therefore, we are down a sensei. Would you be willing to teach part-time when you are not doing your work as ambassador?"
Itachi's eyes flashed with something like longing and not for the first time, Sarutobi felt his heart ache for the teen. So much had been piled on his young shoulders for so long that he had a feeling that the boy was only now realizing he no longer had to carry it all alone. He could only help that by pulling him from the ANBU corps he could help him heal, if only just slightly.
"Hai."
He smiled. "Very well. Uchiha Itachi, as of today, you are no longer a member of the ANBU black ops. You are officially a tokubetsu jounin. With the academy closed for the rest of the week to mourn our elders, you will report to my office at
8am Monday to receive your flak jacket and hiate. After which you will report to Umino Iruka at the Academy for your class assignments. Classes start the following week."
Itachi nodded, a tiny smile dancing on the corners of his lips.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
The Kage nodded, smiling warmly. "Now go home, Itachi and enjoy your days off. I'm sure you want to enjoy your honeymoon with your husband."
The raven blushed faintly, and vanished, the aging shinobi's chuckles ringing in his ears.
TBC...