Chapter 21 – The Broken Alliance

"Well, Sasuke? Do you like your omusubi?" Mikoto asked, looking up at him hopefully from her barely touched meal. She had spent half the day laboring in the kitchen to make his favorite foods, as she had done every single day since he had been discharged from the hospital.

"They're fine."

"I'm relieved to hear it," she said, undiscouraged by his monotone response. "I was afraid I'd slipped in too much soy sauce in the okaka."

Fugaku watched the exchange quietly, barely registering the burning sensation in his fingertips from the cup of tea he was holding. His eyes lingered on the black mark, partially visible on the back of Sasuke's neck, over the collar of his shirt. "How do you feel about the coming match?" he asked.

Sasuke turned his head to look at him. "I'm going to win," he said.

"And I expect no less from my son," Fugaku said. There was a flash of surprise on Sasuke's face, quickly smothered. He was getting a hold of keeping emotion from his face, Fugaku noted, as befit a shinobi. "However, there's a fine line between confidence and overconfidence, Sasuke. Never underestimate your opponent. Your recovery period is almost-"

"I know," Sasuke said in a clipped tone. "I'm going to train starting tomorrow."

Itachi inwardly cringed, keeping his eyes on the umeboshi in his plate. His father, ever the diplomat… It had been a valiant effort, he had to give him that, at least. Perhaps he could still salvage something from his blunder, however. "Would you like me to help you with your training?" he asked.

The answer came swiftly and without mercy. "No. I'll be training with Kakashi." Sasuke then stuffed the last bit of onigiri in his mouth and stood up, leaving no more openings for awkward attempts at conversation. "I'm done. Thank you for the meal." A few moments later, the door to his room slid shut.

Itachi leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, appetite gone. All warmth left Mikoto's face, and for the first time, she did not jump to gather the plates. Fugaku took a sip from his tea, only to find it still too hot, as it left a burning trail on his tongue and down his throat. Their common front disbanded, as it was wont to do whenever Sasuke was not around. It was a fragile alliance, at best, and it had not easily come to be.

By the time he finished telling his parents the whole truth about what had happened to Sasuke, Itachi's throat was dry. His eyes were fixed on the lamp which burned like a beacon between the three of them. They had gathered in his father's study after an uncomfortably quiet dinner, and he had made good on his promise to explain everything to them. There was still no official story, given the pending investigation on how it had all happened, and the hospital staff had only given them information on Sasuke's condition, no more.

"Orochimaru, hm?" Fugaku mused, crossing his arms. For all the praise once given to him as one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, the man was a sinister part of the village's history. News of the horrific experiments he had been conducting in secret had shocked Konoha down to its core in the aftermath of their discovery and his subsequent defection.

He could understand why Orochimaru had laid his eyes on Sasuke, in spite of the fact that he was very young. Beyond his bloodline limit, Sasuke showed promise. There was so much untapped potential in him. In the hands of a mentor who had both the time and the patience to train him, Sasuke may well become a force to be reckoned with one day. The thought had crossed Fugaku's mind many times throughout the years, since he had seen him perform that massive fireball over the lake. But Orochimaru wanted him for his own gain.

"There's nothing to be done about it now," Fugaku said. "Sasuke will simply have to learn to control the Cursed Seal." He was his son, and an Uchiha. The likes of Orochimaru would never be able to lay claim to him.

"Sasuke is still young and impressionable, and Orochimaru will take full advantage of it. He wouldn't have risked marking him if he didn't think he could lure him."

Fugaku scoffed. "Lure him? Itachi, you give your brother too little credit and coddle him too much. He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet. You won't always be there to have his back."

"You're wrong. He'll always see me as an obstacle he must overcome for you to notice him. I'll admit I've made my own mistakes, but you have been building that mindset in him for years with your neglect. I warned you once. I'm warning you again: this attitude will only serve to antagonize him more. It will send him flying to Orochimaru of his own free will, and we won't be able to stop him then."

There was a long moment of silence before his father sighed. "Itachi," he said. "One day you will have children of your own. Perhaps you will understand, then. The future of this clan rests on your shoulders, not Sasuke's. He is free to follow his own path, and you are not. All this time I spent 'neglecting' him was to ensure you would be able to carry the burden when the day comes."

Itachi glared at Fugaku. This was not the first time he was trying to emotionally manipulate his way into subduing him, not to mention they were supposed to be discussing Sasuke. "I may die tomorrow," he said, struggling to keep his voice steady. "What will you do then?"

"All my efforts have gone into ensuring you would not," Fugaku said, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"Enough, both of you!" Mikoto raised her voice, taking them both by surprise. "You are tearing this family apart and I will not have it. Fugaku, I can't believe you. Sasuke is my son… our son! You cannot honestly say there's nothing you can do about this, that you would allow that wicked snake to have him!" Then she turned her eyes to Itachi. "And I raised you better than to talk back at your father like that."

Itachi bowed his head in submission, even as his lips pressed into a thin line. "I apologize. All I meant was that I believe Sasuke will be sorely tempted by Orochimaru's offer."

"Then we must do everything we can to prevent that," Mikoto decided.

Fugaku finished his tea and stood up. Itachi had gone. Where to, only he knew, because he had said not a word after dinner. The water was running and porcelain plates clinked as Mikoto rinsed them. She had not made one sound, but as he passed by her, Fugaku noticed the glimmer of tears on her face. When he looked at her, she turned away to conceal them. He let her be.

His footsteps were heavy as he walked down the hall. He paused for a moment, before raising his hand to knock. There was no light, nor even the smallest sound that he could detect behind the door, but the chakra flow he could sense was not that of a sleeping mind. When no reply came, he knocked again.

"Go away, Itachi. I told you I have nothing to say to you."

That gave Fugaku pause, as the image of a young Sasuke always running after his brother came to mind, from a time when things used to be much simpler – for the two of them, at least. He had fought so hard to preserve that, to protect their future and that of the Uchiha clan. He could not help but wonder if things would have been different, had he allowed the coup d'état to happen. When had it all started to fall apart around him?

He had pacified the voices calling out for revolt then, and yet he could not pacify his own family now. Itachi on one side, fighting his destiny at every turn. Sasuke, on the other side, still struggling to mold himself to his brother's shadow. Now, Mikoto, on the verge of a breakdown. Where did he stand in the middle of all this?

"It's me, Sasuke," he said.

Fugaku sensed a moment's hesitation before he heard Sasuke stir on the other side. The door then opened, and Sasuke looked up at him, unable to conceal his confusion this time around. Itachi had thrown the word 'neglect' into his face, and the truth of it was staring him in the eyes now. Whatever arguments he came up with to defend himself, he could not deny having done it, albeit unwittingly.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," Fugaku said. "Come." His brother, Sasuke may be able to brush off easily, but not him. He was pleased to see Sasuke follow him to his study without a word of complaint.

Itachi was too softhearted in this. Whether he was aware of it or not, his soft spot for his little brother was both his greatest weakness as well as a source of strength, but in a battle of wills between the two of them, Sasuke would come out on top. Itachi would let it happen, if pressed enough.

He had always been a kind child. Fugaku had gone to great lengths to strengthen and prepare him for the kind of life he would eventually lead, but sometimes he wondered if he had done enough. He remembered Mikoto arguing against him taking Itachi to see the battlefield, during the final weeks of war, but he had been adamant. Itachi needed to see the reality of the world they lived in. Only then, could he survive in it.

Looking at his younger son in light of the recent events, Fugaku could see. Whereas Itachi had thrived due to his ministrations, Sasuke had done the same in their absence. The negligence Itachi had accused him of had hardened Sasuke's heart and prepared him for the shinobi life. He may yet surpass Itachi someday, Fugaku surprised himself thinking as he watched Sasuke sit on the tatami.

"What is this about, tou-san?" Sasuke asked, growing impatient under his scrutiny.

Fugaku drew a deep breath and crossed his arms. "Do you know who Orochimaru is?"

Sasuke frowned, seemingly perplexed by the question, but eventually nodded. He did know. Although Orochimaru's name was almost never mentioned, unlike those of his former teammates, the whole of Konoha knew, and how could they not? History hailed him as a hero of the Third Shinobi War, one of the legendary Sannin. His story as told nowadays, however, served as a cautionary tale rather than an inspirational one. The teachers at the Academy had warned them early on of what befell those who pursued power at all costs.

But Sasuke had looked that evil in the eyes. He had felt the power radiating off him like a miasma that day. That killing intent had been real, something he had never sensed during his battle against Haku, trapped in his Demonic Mirroring. It had overwhelmed him, shaken him to the core, yes. However, part of him could not help but be in awe. Whatever was to be said about the price of power, Orochimaru had gone far beyond the abilities of a shinobi. He did not lay his life down at the feet of the shinigami, did not live in fear of them… because he had become one of them.

"Do you understand why he chose you? What he wants from you?" Fugaku asked.

Sasuke scoffed softly, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, Fugaku barely managed to keep the surprise from showing on his face. His youngest's sharingan was almost fully developed and he had not breathed a word about it. How long had it been since he had awakened it? The little boy who had been vying for his attention for all these years was gone, he realized, feeling a sliver of sadness burrow into his heart, even as pride swelled within him at the sight.

"So, you've awakened the sharingan. Well done, Sasuke," he said.

What Sasuke wouldn't have done to hear those words, once. Now they sounded hollow, falling on deaf ears and a numb heart. His sharingan only reminded him of his near-brush with death in a faraway country. Of his argument with Itachi. Like most of the achievements in his life, his father's praise had come too late.

"You said you wanted to talk," he pointed out, "but you've only been asking me questions."

"Itachi believes you might be tempted to use that seal for the power it holds. That you might even seek out Orochimaru, believing he could offer you more."

Sasuke frowned, then quirked a brow. "And if I do?"

This, Fugaku had not expected.

I warned you once. I'm warning you again.

Either Sasuke was bluffing out of spite, which he would not put past him at the moment, or Itachi had been right, possessing a foresight he did not have. Whichever it was, Fugaku needed to make clear the gravity of the situation.

"You cannot seriously be considering it. Orochimaru wants you for his own gain, I thought you understood that. This is no trifling matter. You are an Uchiha. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to start acting like it."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at that. Is this what it's like to be you, Itachi? he wondered. He remembered the morning of his departure to the Land of Waves, the look that had passed between Itachi and their father. No, he thought. Father would take you seriously. He bowed his head. "I understand," he said quietly.

"I'll see what can be done about the Cursed Seal after the chuunin exam ends," Fugaku said. "Whatever happens until then, do not use it."

"Hai, tou-san."

Slacks. Shirt.

One day, you will have children of your own.

Shin wraps.

Perhaps you will understand, then.

Sandals.

The future of this clan rests on your shoulders, not Sasuke's.

Arm guards. Weapon pouch.

He is free to follow his own path, and you are not.

Vest. Sword.

All this time I spent 'neglecting' him was to ensure you would be able to carry the burden when the day comes.

Mask.

Orochimaru. He had been the only one he had not written to, and yet, somehow, he had beaten his former teammates to Konoha. Fate sure had a sense of humor. It was mocking him now, in his old age, throwing past mistakes into his face. He drew deeply from his pipe and blew out the smoke, pondering. Hiruzen had been starting to wonder if either of them would show up, when one of them finally did.

Jiraiya had arrived in the late morning, although Hiruzen suspected he would have delayed more if Ebisu had not run into him at a nearby onsen. He was standing by the window now, deep in thought himself after having learned of the recent events.

"I wouldn't have come, you know," Jiraiya said. "So, don't get any ideas. I don't want to get involved in this mess."

"I figured as much," Hiruzen said. "Orochimaru was never your responsibility, in any case. It was mine, and I failed in that. Whatever may come, this is my mistake to repair. I asked you to come for a whole different reason, but I had hoped Tsunade would be here, too."

Jiraya scoffed. "Knowing her, she's out losing a gamble somewhere. I came as a courtesy, but she was never one to care much about such things. As for your reason, I have to say I was surprised, old man. I thought you'd never give up asking me to succeed you."

"Even in my old age, I learn," Hiruzen said, amused.

"Still, you must be growing senile, sensei. An Uchiha? The Council will never agree to it."

Hiruzen opened his mouth to speak when a knock at the door interrupted him. One of the ANBU guards stationed outside poked his head in when prompted. "Itachi Uchiha is here to see you, Hokage-sama. Shall I tell him to wait?"

"No, no, send him in," Hiruzen said. He had sent Saruko to summon him earlier, before Jiraiya had shown up unexpectedly.

The boy walked in, clad in full ANBU attire. He bowed once to him and, noticing Jiraiya by the window, bowed in his direction as well. Whether he was surprised to find a legendary Sannin in his office, Hiruzen could not tell, and in any case, Jiraiya's presence could easily be pinned on Orochimaru's recent appearance. Itachi had no reason to suspect anything beyond that.

"I have an assignment for you," Hiruzen said, holding out a scroll, which Itachi took without a word. "You might have heard that a patrol has gone missing near the border with Ame, more than a week ago. The team I sent to investigate has failed to report in, as well."

He saw the glow of the sharingan flit towards Jiraiya uncertainly, and answered the unspoken question. "I cannot say for certain if this has anything to do with the Akatsuki," Hiruzen said, drawing the red eyes back to him. "Which is why I would like your team to investigate. I cannot afford to lose more teams before I know exactly what we're dealing with. Either way, you are the best equipped to deal with this. Everything we know is in that scroll. Gather your team, discuss the matter and set your affairs in order. You leave at dawn."

"Understood," Itachi said, tucking the scroll into a pocket.

Hiruzen watched the boy perform a seal and vanish without a trace. His gaze lingered on the empty space where he had been, watching the leaves he had left behind twirl on their way down to the floor.

"Is this him, then?" Jiraiya asked. "You like to pick them young. Is that why you didn't ask me again? I must confess, I'm hurt."

Hiruzen smirked. "Very young, but capable. The will of fire burns in him. It would be a waste for it to get lost in the darkness of the ANBU."

"The fact still stands that the Council will never agree to an Uchiha as your successor."

"My mind is made up and they can be swayed. And in any case, it's only half the council that I'm worried will trouble me over this. Jiraiya, if something happens to me… it will take both you and Tsunade to ensure my will is done. This is my final request to you."

Jiraiya sighed. "Don't get melodramatic, I get it. I'll go look for Tsunade and convince her, if it'll ease your mind. I can't say I'll succeed, however. You know how she gets her panties in a twist at the sight of me."

Hiruzen laughed, a great cloud of smoke billowing out. "You haven't changed at all," he said.

Sasuke panted, feeling the cold air sear his throat, even as the rest of him burned hot from the strain. He allowed himself a few moments to catch his breath before resuming the exercise. This time, he would be able to replicate it, for sure. His trembling hands went through the seals, which the sharingan had copied without a hitch. He forced chakra into his left hand and channeled his focus into changing its nature.

The sudden shift caused it to light up with a chirrup and he almost lost control of it, so Sasuke grasped his wrist with the other hand to hold it in place. It was giving in to the high concentration of rapidly vibrating chakra and threatening to cause him to miss the target. He started running, sharingan blazing to keep track of the world around him as he sped towards the boulder ahead.

Kakashi watched his student perform his first Chidori, reminded of how things had gone the last time he had taught someone his signature jutsu. Sasuke's speed was better, although there was room for improvement, his chakra control lesser, which was a testament to his many failed attempts so far, and his chakra reserves… Maa, he's still very young, Kakashi thought as the Chidori in Sasuke's hand died out just before hitting the boulder, which caused his hand to smash into the boulder.

"Fuck!" Sasuke bellowed, in both pain and frustration.

"Hai, hai, time for a break, Sasuke," Kakashi said to him. "Eat something to replenish your chakra supply."

"I'm not hungry."

"Death wishes are not on the menu today. Surely you don't need me to tell you what happens when you don't have enough chakra left for a jutsu."

Sasuke glared at him, but said nothing more. He dropped on a rock and started rummaging through his pack for food. Kakashi was watching him to make sure he complied, when something caught his eye. A black bird landed on the tall rock behind Sasuke, eyeing the two of them with a cock of its head. It then cawed at Kakashi, who held out a hand, invitingly.

Sasuke peered at it through narrowed eyes, his fist curling around the field ration jerky until his knuckles turned white. The crow paid him no heed, instead gracefully hopping off the rock and gliding to Kakashi's hand, where it held out its leg to him. Sasuke bit into the jerky, chewing at it until his cheeks hurt from the effort, then stuffed some more into his mouth, all the while watching Kakashi read the tiny scroll brought by the bird.

"What does it say?" Sasuke asked when it became clear Kakashi had no intent on telling him what Itachi wanted.

"Your brother isn't the only one who has a contract with crows, you know," Kakashi said, quirking a brow.

The crow turned its attention to Sasuke. It flapped its wings and dived down, landing beside him with a loud caw, then craned its neck to get at his jerky. Too distracted by the attempted theft to further mind Kakashi, Sasuke pulled the jerky away, even as his other hand swatted at the crow. It hopped from one side to the other, skillfully evading his blows.

"I didn't ask if it was from him," Sasuke argued, using his arm to shield his face from the black wings as the bird lunged for the food. He knew it was from Itachi. His chakra signature was unmistakable, sustaining the summoned crow.

"You could give it some, you know," Kakashi suggested, albeit mildly amused by the squabble.

Sasuke made a sound of displeasure, but relented. He tore a piece of jerky and held it out. The crow cocked its head, then took the proffered bit, nipping his palm in the process. It gobbled it quickly, while Sasuke massaged the red welt on his skin. Then, it cawed at him, loud enough to make him jump. "Get lost," he said, tucking away the remaining jerky. But the crow held out a leg, and his eyes fell on the scroll attached to it.

Itachi was playing mind games, again, he thought, taking it. He was falling for them, again, but curiosity got the better of him. He took the scroll, mindful of the crow's beak, although it made no more attempts to peck him. A knot settled in his throat when he opened it, tightening as his eyes darted over the words. Seeing the message received and read, the crow took off with a few flaps of its wings.

Sasuke set the scroll aside and stood up. His sharingan activated with little to no effort on his part and his hands rushed through the seals as he set his sight on the target. He heard Kakashi protest, but shut his voice out until it was completely covered by the loud chirruping of the Chidori forming in his hand. Lightning crackled. His legs moved seemingly of their own accord and he dashed forward with something akin to a roar erupting from his throat.

Sasuke, I'm leaving on a mission today. I might be away for a while. I can't know for sure, so I wanted to apologize in advance if I don't make it to your upcoming match. Things haven't been well between us, I know.

The Chidori cut through the rock in a cloud of dust and pebbles. The stone groaned, cracks extending from the hole, breaking it through the middle and causing it to topple. Sasuke leaned against what remained of it, breathless and giddy. He collapsed at the base, cradling his bloodied, aching hand, and allowed his head to bump back against the rock, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Don't talk to me if you don't want to, I'll be content to listen to your silence. Hate me if you will, I'll still love you.

Kakashi rushed to Sasuke, who was now laughing at the sky, pumped full of adrenaline. He had done it. The chakra burns likely meant Kakashi would hold him back from practicing it for a couple of days, but he had finally done it.

At the end of the day, you're still my little brother. I'll always be here for you, no matter what.

About this chapter: I always found it strange that the rookies didn't seem to know much, if anything, about the legendary Sannin. I think Konoha would hail its heroes beyond slapping their faces on a mountain, or their names on a stone (after their death!), in the sense that their stories would be told to inspire the next generations. As for Orochimaru's, I definitely don't think it would have been swept under the rug just because he was deemed evil.

On another note, if you care for trivia and the work behind this story, I realized that for me, Sasuke is the most difficult character to write. A close runner-up would be Fugaku, so you can imagine how many times I felt the need to bang my head against the desk while writing the scene between the two of them.

As for the previous chapter: someone pointed out that Kabuto got off easily. Looking back, I tend to agree, so thank you for the input. I came up with something that might fix it, but implementing that idea now would feel like cheating, so I'll let it be for the moment. Maybe I'll redo that part once the story is complete, although it wouldn't affect much in the grand scheme of things. Kabuto will get what's coming for him, one way or another.