Chapter 2: 11k words
Tailed-beasts, enormous chakra constructs, beings of destruction. There are nine Tailed-beasts in total, each with differing characteristics, behaviours and habitats. The prominent and most distinguishing trait is the number of tails each has, ranging from the One-tailed Racoon to the Nine-Tailed Fox. Generations ago, they were collected by the leader of the Senju clan and founding Kage. The First Hokage and master of his legendary Wood Style mustered eight of the Tailed-beasts and ventured to gift them to the newly made villages to attempt peace.
As the Hidden Sand was already in possession of the One-tailed Sand Spirit, they requested supplies instead. The First Hokage gave the Hidden Cloud the Two-tailed Cat and Eight-tailed Ox. The Three-tailed Turtle and Six-tailed Slug were handed to the Hidden Mist village, and finally, the Four-tailed Monkey and Five-tailed Horse were shipped to the Hidden stone. The Nine-tailed Fox remained in the Hidden Leaf.
As these monstrous sources of power were almost impossible to contain, a ninja from every village turned sealing. Fuinjutsu, a rare shinobi art that required intense amounts of patience, but those who've utilised it to greater degrees would wax lyrical about its benefits in every life and the battlefield. With the raw power that the Tailed-beasts contained, they required humans to be the sealing medium.
People who contained a Tailed-beast were called Jinchūriki.
It was common knowledge that the Hidden Leaf possessed the Nine-tailed Fox. But details of its location and Jinchuriki had been hidden from everyone, including the Hidden Leaf residents. This knowledge gap mainly was disregarded, out of sight, out of mind. But that changed after a tragic incident not long after the Third Great Ninja War.
The Nine-Tails Attack.
It was a terrifying experience they had ever been put through for most citizens when a vulpine that towers over their Hokage monument appears suddenly in a cloud of smoke and begins wreaking havoc upon their homes. 'A single swipe of one of its nine tails can raise tsunamis and flatten mountains', that is what most were told about the magnificent beast. Much to the horror of all who were there that day, that statement rang true.
Minato Namikaze, the Fourth and current Hokage, decided to take the Tailed-beast head-on. Being a master of Fūinjutsu, and after exhausting his abilities to transport the Fox away from his village, he resorted to his final option. A small child, born mere moments before the calamity, was chosen to shoulder the burden. Unfortunately, he wouldn't survive the encounter and imparted his wishes to his predecessor, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.
The boy was to regarded as a hero, a saviour, even more than Minato was. That was what he wanted, for the boy to grow up surrounded by the village. Unfortunately, both Hokage, past and present, did not think of the public's reaction, especially just after a horrifying incident that claimed hundreds of lives.
The boy was not treated as a hero as both wished, not even close. As the boy's parents perished that night, he was resigned to living in his own apartment. With the help of Hiruzen, he could afford basic living expenses. He could spend his money on; rent, electricity, water and gas were paid for by the shinobi offices.
Life did not come easy for the five-year-old boy, he wasn't blamed for the incident, but people could no longer trust the word of the higher-ups when they said it would be safe. Simply put, many refused to risk being near the boy when that time eventually came that the Fox would break out of its jailer; the risk was just too high.
For most, ignorance was strength, and who could blame them. People fear what they don't understand, and when a raging monster had taken the lives of your fellow villagers is then locked within a child, the citizens found it best to avoid him. Someone as mentally malleable as a child can react to isolation in many ways.
Instead of wanting any form of acknowledgement from the villagers, this boy became meek and latched onto the one person who truly saw him. Hiruzen, despite his poor decision in allowing the secret to become public knowledge, refused to abandon the boy. Now, this boy had found more people to take solace in and someone to respect and aspire to be alike.
Shisui was the next in the so-far tragic story that was this boy's life. When he found a boy that stopped himself from entering a shop to enjoy its aroma merely, most would come to similar conclusions when sifting through the possibilities. So he offered a hand to the boy, and both now refuse to let go.
It was no secret who this boy was; his golden shock of hair was a permanent reminder. So were the Azure orbs that set their curious gaze upon everything. Finally, the whiskers, the three marks on each cheek, for many, only affirmed their misguided beliefs.
This boy was Naruto Uzumaki.
Hiruzen
"Ah, welcome. Shisui, Itachi." The pair of clansmen strode into the village leader's office with no air of fear or pensiveness. They knew why they were there; it was only a matter of time.
"Lord Hokage," they both addressed. Shisui bowed, Itachi did not.
"I presume you both know why I have for you both," Hiruzen began. His tone did not waver; it held its grandfatherly warmth.
"Yessir," Shisui spoke for both of them. Smoke wafted from the wooden pipe that the old Sarutobi held in front of him.
"Then, I must ask. What are your plans for young Naruto,"
"To help, much like you." Was the stoic Uchiha's response, it was cruel, but he didn't care. The Hokage inwardly recoiled at Itachi's words, he would admit, he was somewhat... detached when aiding Naruto.
"Please elaborate; you must understand, with Naruto, that something like this worries me." Itachi was not cold enough to presume that Hiruzen didn't care; if he didn't, Naruto would likely be with a very different part of their village by now.
"Lord Hokage," Shisui had little interest in being restricted from seeing Naruto. "While you may worry about the bond that Itachi and I have with Naruto, it is there, and if not for my sake, then for his; I urge you to not separate us from him."
"True, I cannot deny that, but please understand my concerns." Both Uchiha understood perfectly.
"I do, Lord Hokage, I do. After spending the last few weeks with him, I fully understand what you mean." Shisui pressed honestly. "But, that must also mean you understand my concerns. He is a young boy with nothing; I don't believe he would admit it, but I'm sure that he holds his bonds as the most valuable parts of his life."
"That is to be expected when people refuse to see him." Itachi disdain for the civilian's treatment seeped through into his speech.
"Please do not blame them; they do not know any better." Hiruzen attempted to reason, though he couldn't help to agree.
"It's not them that I blame, Lord Hokage," Itachi impassively insisted.
"Then who do you blame?" The young mind of Itachi Uchiha was a thing of wonder to many of the village. Being introduced to the horrors of war as a young child, the shinobi world forced him to mature faster than any child should.
"Those who know about who Naruto truly is and still refuse to look at him." Itachi knew; that was a sobering fact. The fact that he spoke of 'who' Naruto is and not 'what' he is.
"Those you speak of lost a lot that day, too; you must allow them their time to grieve." The old Sarutobi forced himself to be strong enough to look after Naruto, even when he himself was drowning in guilt.
"They have taken a family away from him, more so than that day did." Shisui was content in allowing Itachi to vent his frustrations towards the Hokage. His younger friend was an introspective person; he lived in his own head. He would likely implode if he remained silent. But if he could help Naruto more by knowing 'who' he was, he would try.
"I have already gathered that mountains of secrets surround Naruto, and you might not think it's my place to know, and I don't want to impede but-" Gathering his breath, the special-Jonin continued before he fell short. "For the role I intend to play in his life, I must know." Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at his subordinate.
"What 'role' do you intend to play in his life," the familial warmth did not smooth over Hiruzen's discontent.
"A family, Lord Hokage, a family. I met a young boy who couldn't handle someone coming up to speak to him; do you know he tried to run away when I said hello."
"I was unaware," the Hokage regretfully admitted while inwardly interrogating himself. Had Naruto recessed that much, he always seemed so cheerful when they talked in his office. Was that because Naruto was comfortable around him, or was it an act.
"Ever since then, with no lack of pushing, Naruto talks to me when we train; he listens to me. I can still tell he doesn't fully trust me; he still hesitates to respond. That's not how any child should be; acknowledgement is a foreign idea to him. So I wish to know how and who could strip that from him; I wish to understand that."
"I wish I could tell everyone of these things, but it would put Naruto in an even more precarious position." Neither Uchiha could fathom a position in which Naruto's life can be worsened. He's treated as if his existence is a pox upon the lives of others; his self-worth has been crushed beyond comprehension. "Do not think for a second that I am merely sitting here twiddling my thumbs as a young boy is forced into a solitary life."
"Of course, Lord Hokage." Shisui amended with growing impatience. "But you did not say why you could not tell me alone about just 'who' Naruto is."
"You're ears and mind are as sharp as those eye of yours, Shisui. Though, before that, Itachi, how have you come across this knowledge." The kindly village leader asked.
"Aunt Kushina, during pregnancy, often came to our house to ask questions of mother."
"How could I forget that," Hiruzen chuckled, his wonders satiated.
Naruto
Training with Shisui and occasionally Itachi had become the high point of his days; not only could he train a lot, but he could also spend more time with his new friends. Today though, it sucked, not because he couldn't touch his opponent, he was used to that, but Shisui wasn't even paying attention to him. The unspoken insult to his skills didn't hurt as much as the Uchiha's recent behaviour. Had he pushed one of the few people he had away, was he not good enough? Did Shisui just not like him. As Naruto sunk deeper into his pit of thoughts, the sparring ended wordlessly, without Naruto as the aggressor, his opponent did not need to evade or counter. It took some moments until the older of the pair realised what had happened.
"Why'd you stop," the Sharingan wielder vocally pondered. "I know you're not tired," the weary smile that Shisui wore only dampened his partner's mood. Golden locks draped of the young Uzumaki's features, seeing his younger friend's state, Shisui took a step forward but was cut off before he could speak.
"Did I do something wrong," His breathing hitched when an answer didn't come quickly. Naruto confirmed all of his doubts; he'd screwed up, someone had let him in, and he'd disappointed them. The crushing feeling only deepened, that was until a hand reached out. That hand, not much larger than his own stretched out, from a height above him. Landing on his shaggy blond hair, it nestled amongst the gold and slowly massaged the top of his head.
"Of course not, don't be silly." Shisui continued to ruffle his hair; he knew that Naruto just needed some reassurance. "There is nothing right now that you could do to push me away; you got that." A small bop on the head to emphasise his point. Swivelling the younger boy by his head, he squatted down and looked all over Naruto's black-clad body.
"Then..." Naruto paused, turning his big blue desperate eyes towards Shisui, 'this is bad, big brother isn't like this.' "What's wrong." That was the moment in which Shisui decided why he wanted to look after Naruto. This little boy, even after the treatment he'd received, sought to help anyone he could. As wrong as it is, this little boy saw his pain as secondary; everyone else came first.
"Naruto," Shisui spoke softly, he knew it was selfish, but he had just one request. "Never change." The black-haired boy grinned widely, pressing down the spiky locks on the younger boy's head. For a few moments, confusion was written all over Naruto's face. Not before long, though, did it once again match the bright smile Shisui wore.
"You got it, Shishi." The tiny blond exclaimed, looking past the hand on his head. Shisui gripped Naruto's head and, with little effort, he flipped the younger boy over himself. Rolling to a halt, the academy student raised his head just enough to see the challenging smirk that always arose whenever they sparred. Time ticked on as Naruto and Shisui exchanged feet and hands. Eventually, they delved into Ninjutsu, and the prodigy was reminded that his new friend was still a child even with his moments of maturity.
"Y'know, my superiors won't let me forget my nickname..." His chuckle filled with humoured sarcasm. "Sorry, moniker." He reminded himself, Kotetsu and Izumo were relentless in their teasing when it was added to his bingo book entries.
"Nickname," Naruto parroted curiously, with wide eyes.
"Shisui of the Body Flicker, or Shisui the Teleporter." Said ninja waved off the international recognition with practised nonchalance. "It's great for our village to have people who are recognised by opposing nations as it can be a deterrent for attacks and conflict in general. That, as well as they, can be very influential in negotiations." Feeling that Naruto's attention was solely on him, the young Uchiha kept ravelling. "Just like my superiors, when I was recognised, it became an unspoken responsibility. So while most strive for that fame, it's hard to maintain that respect." It took Shisui a second to realise that Naruto probably couldn't keep up with what he was saying. "But don't worry about that, your a few years off anything like that."
"But Shishi," Naruto groaned pleadingly, blue eyes sparkling in desperation.
"No, even I wasn't as young as you are now when I graduated. To be a better shinobi and person, patience is essential." It was hard for both to hear, but the Uchiha mentor knew that negative feedback would eventually be necessary. "You only managed what you did against Itachi because he underestimated you. That won't happen when fighting against enemy ninja; they will try to destroy; they will not stop until they can't move or breathe." It was a chilling truth, and once again, Shisui knew the little blond needed to hear this. Slightly deflated, The young Uzumaki tried to think about what to say but was halted by a ruffle of his spiky locks. "Shi-"
"But don't worry," if the older noticed Naruto's attempt to speak up, he didn't let on. "That's why you've got Big brother Shisui," he prodded his chest with his thumb as his teeth shone. "Even if it takes forever, I'll be there."
"Shishi..." Naruto muttered in awe; even gramps had never told him something like that. It was the best pain he'd ever felt; a new warmth thawed away at the chilled grip in his chest. A toasty heat made him wince, but just like before, when they were at that small ramen stand, this pain was so much easier to bear. Time stood still for the blond as he watched his older friend's unkempt hair whip against his face: Shisui Uchiha, Naruto's guide, shining light, goal and family. Naruto was no longer getting stronger for himself; no, he needed to get stronger for Shisui, to make him proud, to protect him.
"Don't get too hung up on this," pointless comment. "Now, why I started talking about this was I wanted to teach you something. This requires a lot of speed, something you are naturally gifted with, so hopefully, this technique should come easily to you. Also, with all that chakra you've got, you might not even need to limit yourself once you've got it down." While the recesses of Naruto's self-declaration were being shed, the prospect of a new technique began racing through his mind. "A favourite of mine—signature—you could say. The Body Flicker technique is a highly versatile skill, you can use this for travel, or like me, it can be a handy tool in battle." Before Naruto could demand anything, the special-Jonin held a one-handed ram seal to his chest. Attempting to close in on his older brother figure, the little Uzumaki lunged forward to grip Shisui. But it didn't end in his favour as his self-appointed sensei blurred out of existence. In an impressive show of speed, the Uchiha prodigy reappeared upon a nearby tree branch and watched as his younger brother comically stumbled and tried to regain his balance. Stifling a chuckle, the blond's head whipped around to glower at Shisui; this action overcame Shisui's defences, and he could only guffaw at the offended boy.
"Shishi," he hollered with an accusatory finger. "Don't do that! It's so annoying." That, along with the constant ruffling of hair, Naruto found immensely irritating, those actions he could do without.
"You know you love it," he returned effortlessly—He did not—leaping down to meet. He did not. Naruto growled at his offender, "You always do it just to laugh at me."
"Aw, don't say that," Shisui played as he waved away the charge. "I'd never do something like that; who do you think I am,"
"A mean old brother-" Naruto pouted before coming to a realisation. "-Ah, ah! but you can repay me but teaching me that awesome jutsu." Shisui raised an eyebrow at the young Uzumaki.
"Is that all is it? Not going to ask for a different one, maybe a more flashy technique, Fire Style." He tempted; he could imagine Naruto demanding something like that. He'd appeared quite intrigued by their combatting pyrotechnics. But Naruto hesitated at his words and began to study the ground.
"B-But, you said- you said that the flicky thing was your jutsu!" he recounted with clenched fists.
"I did, is that it? You want to be just like big brother Shisui," he jested slyly.
"Nah! I wanna be better, and then you'll call me big brother. Ya got that," he proclaimed only for the corners of Shisui's eyes in warmth then narrow deviously.
"Not a chance," The older boy retorted seamlessly, drawing out the silence before finishing. "Mini-me," for an unknown period, one would find themselves quite amused if they entered training ground two. A five-year-old moving at ridiculous speeds in an attempt to catch a cackling special-Jonin.
Itachi
The young Chunin had always been wary of other people. People were unknowns; while he was quite skilled in reading body language and facial expressions, he still couldn't see what was going on inside their head. When that is the case, that person is a threat to him. To Sasuke. So when a renowned ANBU operative strolls up to him and not so subtly shows interest in his and Shisui's newest venture, he grew cautious.
"Kakashi, Shogi is a game to improve one's tactical ability, but that is not the game you are playing right now. Unless you are in need of something, I much prefer to train alone." Itachi's impassive voice only added to the evident irritation.
"Easy, easy. I'm just curious, that's all." Jet black met a single dark-grey eye, the emotionless gaze one of practised boredom.
"Yes, I'm more than aware that you are curious about Naruto. But, why?" Cracks of almost fatigue crept into his voice.
"I have my reasons-"
"No, why now," Taking an imperceptible breath to calm himself, Itachi turns from the armour-clad shinobi to his set of targets. He fully understood the need for respect in the chain of command, but he also knew when and where it was necessary. "Why are you taking an interest in him now? Why not back then."
"The last thing any child needs is an unstable influence in their life. I would not put that on any child, let alone Naruto." The silver-haired ninja voiced with gravity.
"That does not answer the question." Itachi cut in again, patience quickly fading. Turning his head to study where his third kunai landed 'half an inch off, pitiful.' "Last I understood, you still feared him, so I want to know why now."
Kakashi narrowed his gaze at his subordinate. "What could I fear about a child."
"You shouldn't fear him; that's true. So maybe it's not him that you fear, your duty perhaps."
"I have nothing to fear," The defensive shinobi spoke mostly to himself.
"So, Hatake. Why now," both citizens of the Hidden Leaf's patience had run thin.
"I'm merely a fellow citizen showing an interest." Kakashi's answer was punctuated by the whistling of a kunai past his singular visible eye. The young ANBU captain levelled a bored gaze, refusing to acknowledge the threat on his life. "If that's not good enough for you, though." A restrained sigh escaped the young Uchiha lips as he turned an exasperated look towards his superior.
"Enjoy attempting to convince Shisui, the only times in which they're attached at the is when either: Shisui is on a mission, Naruto is at the academy—in which he's having the same issues me and you have experienced thanks to Shisui's training—or when they're training." While Kakashi found the academy to be detestable because he shot through their system quicker than anyone, a child's life was not on the battlefield.
"What does the training involve? From what I've heard, Naruto isn't the studious type." Itachi let out what very few would recognise as a groan.
"While his theoretical practices had improved, his physical prowess far outspans any his age." Itachi's voice carried explicit pleasure, but that quickly soured as he continued. "Sasuke came home one day asking if I had heard about a boy his age who ''beat the paste out of'' the Inuzuka heir. Naruto, unfortunately, still treats every spar as if he is against Shisui." The senior ninja chuckled at the new information.
"So Tsume's kid bit it did he, might do that clan a world of good. Nothing quite like an Inuzuka with wounded pride." Itachi refused to fall into idle chit-chat with the man; his lax demeanour was just too inviting. "You asked now, didn't you? Well, my lovely little subordinate, I simply don't want to lose my chance to be involved in his growth."
"You wish to help train him," Itachi questioned incredulously.
"I didn't realise that was what people thought of me." Kakashi lamely bemoaned about his degraded reputation. "But I'd heard of two Uchiha's recent undertaking in an infamous academy student. I know when I can help, and as good as the pair of you are, there are something's I can teach him, techniques that you and Shisui could never come across."
"His-"
"Ah, ah, ah." Out came a small book from the older shinobi's back pocket as Kakashi immediately landed on the right page. "I know what I know, you know what you know, and I know what you know. I'll let you figure the rest out. I'll talk to our favourite special-Jonin; this isn't because of some sense of duty." Collecting himself, he gave his subordinate a tired look. "will you take up Lord Danzo's offer." While not overly thrilled by the prospect of someone joining the corps who was younger than when he was admitted, he found himself intrigued by the enigmatic Uchiha.
"Not yet. Perhaps soon, but not yet."
"Any reason," Kakashi probed, still not facing his fellow Sharingan wielder.
"There are some things I wish to be in order before I make such decisions."
"Naruto?" The onslaught of intrigue had lost its shine and had turned into something more akin to interrogation.
"And Sasuke; while I feel like one's academy time will be significantly shorter than the other, neither are yet to acclimatise. If one or both cannot adjust, then I simply wish to help them prepare for life outside of our walls." The wind began to lap at Itachi's face, causing strands of hair to cover his eyes.
"Well, look at you and me; we never adjusted." The silver-haired man's voice held traces of amusement.
"I won't presume anything about you, but I don't believe it to be wise for people to use me as the stick to measure themselves." Itachi pointed out flatly.
"True, I wouldn't wish my life on anyone." As a man who was introduced to a life of killing at the age of five, the young veteran had experienced more than most ever would.
"I concur, and that is why I must prepare them; I'll play whatever role I must to help them. Even if that means being an obstacle for them to overcome, that's what family is." A few questions made their way into Kakashi's mind, but he thought it best to keep them unasked.
"I'll be seeing you later, " the nineteen-year-old ANBU strolled past Itachi, his sandals crunching the grass and leaves underfoot. Stopping, he looked at the kunai that was launched earlier before voicing. "Half an inch out, you should really work on that." Chakra seeped into his eyes as the left orb twitched violently. His blood-red Sharingan counted the number of ways he could annihilate the lax Hatake.
"Could I use you as the target?" He suggested semi-seriously.
Sasuke
The raven-haired five-year-old trudged along the dirt path back to his home. The training grounds near his compound was his usual haunt if not home or at the academy. Though his older brother had time, it wouldn't matter where they would be; Sasuke was there, by his Itachi's side. Though his time with his brother was rapidly shortening. His recent promotion to Chunin and now there was something else, and whatever it was, it put his mother on edge. He couldn't tell if it affected his father; that man seemed to be phased by nothing. Continue to walk past the compound's walls and continued on; as he passed his clansmen, some smiled, others waved, and some ignored him. He had grown up receiving mixed greetings; to some, he was the future of their clan, and many hoped he and his brother would lead the clan out of its current rut. The others saw him as a failure. After all, Itachi was scoring almost perfect in the academy and was rumoured to be on the cusp of graduating. Thoughtlessly, he pushed into his front door as he let everyone in the house know, "I'm home."
"Welcome home, Sasuke." His mother's soft voice made always made him happy. While Itachi was his drive to be better, his mother was his support. It made him so happy.
"Thank you, mother." His doting parent poked her head around the corner from the living room to look at him. As if it was routine, she studied his dirtied form before scolding him about training too hard by himself and then proceeded to lick her thumb and rub the dirt off of his young face. While Sasuke groaned about her excessive parenting, the front door slid open once more to reveal Itachi in his classic black wear.
"Hello, Sasuke." He warmly greeted, smiling unconsciously.
"Big-brother," Sasuke cheered as he wrapped his arms around the first-born. While he revelled in the grappling of his younger brother, he schooled his features to look at Mikoto.
"Hello, mother."
"Itachi."
"I'm home," Sasuke had told him to apologise to his mother, but he wouldn't; he refused when he had done nothing wrong.
"You are; how are you feeling?" Her smile was there, but it was strained; it hurt to watch her son disregard the dangers of his situation because of his stubbornness.
"Tired, Kakashi can be quite... assertive."
"I didn't realise you and hime were close." She couldn't help but say, then mentally recoiled, conversations with her sons were so easy; why couldn't there just be no animosity between them.
"We aren't; I was approached by him today to ask about Naruto. I believe Lord Third must have informed him of what Shisui and I have been doing." Sasuke's young mind effortlessly recalled hearing that name before. 'Naruto,' who was this person, it always his mother nervous and defensive, but Itachi refused to leave, what Sasuke learnt was a boy, alone.
"I see... what did he have to say," Mikoto questioned amicably.
"That he wanted to meet Naruto as well as help his training." Itachi was rather curt in his answers, but his mother understood.
"And why does that displease you."
"Because the man had five years to approach him and did nothing." People who put in no effort deserved nothing in return; such is the case here.
"While I'm still not pleased, it still took you five years to approach him." Sasuke continued to watch as the same argument came up once more, every time there was a new detail. First, it that the topic was a boy, then it was he was someone around his age.
"I was told I couldn't approach him, and I doubt that those restrictions would be placed on him—a Jonin." Itachi's friend and fellow clan member had decided to take this boy, who wasn't an Uchiha, under his wing. Itachi had been training him too, and now another person. Just who was this kid?
"If that is the case, please do not get too involved. I know you're enjoying training him-"
"Big brother," Sasuke exclaimed; this boy was stealing his older brother from him. "But you barely train with me, now you're helping someone else?" Sasuke would never understand Itachi's reasons for not training him, and that fact brought a sad smile to the elder brother's face.
"Do not think that I have replaced you; no one could do that. Shisui only requested that I help," He tried to reason.
"But I ask all the time, and you're always too busy," the younger brother was more saddened than angry.
"Yes, you do, and I'm sorry that I can't tell you why that is." Neither mother nor sibling couldn't tell that Itachi was genuinely apologetic. "Okay, then-but you've gotta make it up to me, some serious training. None of that me watching your stuff, got it?"
"Of course, I'll make time." Itachi wouldn't lie about that.
"While it is good you wish to correct your brother's faults, I require your presence in our clan meetings so you will not have the time needed for that." Their father and Clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, had returned from communications with the village and, as per usual, appeared mildly irritated. While Sasuke deflated slightly, Itachi dutifully responded.
"Of course, father."
"As you are now a Chunin, there will be even more responsibilities. We will also talk about what you have been doing with Shisui and Kakashi's recent... Inclusion." Itachi knew his father would much rather say interference but held his tongue.
"Of course, father."
Hidden Leaf Academy
When Sasuke had asked Itachi about a blond boy who'd stood out in Taijutsu spars of a fellow class, all his brother had said was to pay attention. When Daikoku-sensei told his class that there would be a Taijutsu exercise with Kyogi-sensei Sasuke, he became very attentive. And his suspicions were proven correct; as they moved outside, the young Uchiha spotted the other class and zeroed in on a golden-haired boy, sitting right in the middle of the group. The boy was clearly excited; he could almost feel how ready the boy was.
"Daikoku, you're here. Excellent, I was just explaining to my class that we would have small spars—one from my class against one from yours." Daikoku smiled cheerfully at his colleague before giving the class a passing look.
"Well, I'm looking forward to it." What neither teachers noticed was the two students staring quizzically at each other. While Sasuke managed to not show it much outwardly, he was clearly studying the other boy. The other put in no such effort as his face contorted in thought. 'He looks like Itachi', but he shuffled it away as them being from the same clan.
"Let's get started, shall we." Kyogi voiced, looking forward to some of the later fights.
"Definitely, Senaka Onikuma from Kyogi-sensei's class, please step forward." Turning his head to his own students, "Renraku Yanagikage, you're up. Represent our class to the best of your abilities. As time passed and students battled to the best of their abilities, both Sasuke would steal lingering glances at the golden boy during the fights. He was so caught up in trying to solve the puzzle that he almost didn't hear his homeroom teacher call out.
"Sasuke, this your turn. Make your family and me proud." As he stripped his eye away from the boy, the boy in question filled in what Shisui had told him about Itachi not too long ago. His previous confusion gone. The man turned and raised his gaze over the other class.
"Naruto," The smile Daikoku flashed made both boys' inside churn; the pair recognised the superficial warmth. Sasuke was shown everywhere he went; no one wanted to antagonise the clan head by insulting his son after all. And well, Naruto didn't need to be told it was fake; Shisui had shown him what a genuine smile looked like. "Your turn." So this was the boy that Itachi often spoke about. Adding that to the display he'd been treated to recently, it wasn't hard for Sasuke to piece together that the boy was special. 'Another clan heir?' he thought; it wasn't an illogical guess.
"You got it, Sensei!" Deciding to ignore what he felt, he leapt up and jogged over to the ring. Much more collected than his opponent, Sasuke strode over to meet his target, much to the pleasure of the cheering female crowd. More confused than anything, 'What's so special about him?' He'd seen the boy's display in Taijutsu previously, and though he wouldn't admit it, he didn't see himself winning. But that didn't justify him taking Itachi away from him; he reasoned that he would be that good if his brother actually trained with him.
"Now, make the seal of confrontation." It mildly irked Sasuke that his opponent seemed to be disregarding him. Naruto was visibly giddy; he would be sparring with Itachi's brother, a boy his age he could see where he ranked. If he really was Itachi's brother, this boy had to have trained as much as him.
As Naruto raised his right hand, Sasuke raised his left. Coal bored into cobalt as the blond lowered into his position. At the image of a familiar stance, a small fire ignited itself into his belly. The Taijutsu form he'd taken was very similar to a sub-form of the Uchiha's traditional form. 'That's not his; he's no Uchiha.' Jealousy mixed with injured pride, as Sasuke ignored any fears of Naruto's skill and advanced as quickly as he could manage.
Naruto, for his part, saw Sasuke's advance as a decoy and opted to wear the hit. Sasuke's left arm went straight for Naruto's jaw with unbridled fury, only for it to be blocked as the blond rolled to his left. Naruto's forearms slid down his opponent's arm and gripped him at the shoulder. Wrenching at the limb, Sasuke felt his feet leave the ground as his weight followed his leading hand.
Dust accumulated as Sasuke scrambled to not roll out of the sparring ring, fingers drew lines in the dirt as he fought to stand. Unfortunately for Sasuke, Naruto peeked at his opportunity and darted towards the dark-haired boy. Sasuke expected him to stay low and attack his already failing balance, but instead, the smaller boy leapt over him and, with his right hand, gripped the nape of his blue shirt, just above the Uchiha clan symbol. Naruto landed, crouching, and for the second time, Naruto launched his opponent away.
Sasuke had no opportunity to remain in the ring as he landed past the peanut gallery. 'That was Itachi's move,' his enraged mind yelled, but before he could charge at his gleeful opponent, Daikoku-sensei's hand landed on his shoulder.
"Wonderful bout, boys," he professed with the same smile. "You both seem to have received some exceptional training. Sasuke, as your sensei, I'm sure you're family is very proud." Naruto continued to beam, but the statement, as well as the apparent gap between him and Naruto, caused him to spit. "Now, make the unison sign." Obligingly, Naruto jogged up but was halted when Sasuke hotly turned on him.
"Not a chance, not with him." The remark caught the blond off-guard. What had he done?
"Now, now, Sasuke. The signs of confrontation and unison are a tradition for these spars. The unison sign shows that you have finished your spar and come together as comrades of the Hidden Leaf." Daikoku attempted to remedy the boy's temper; as Itachi's brother, it wouldn't reflect well to have an outburst in front of other students, they would be likely to speak about it.
Sasuke attempted to lash out once more but couldn't move out of his teacher's firm grip. When he tried to glare, all he met was the same smile, this time though he could read some not so hidden disappointment. 'Not good enough, not like your elder brother.' Sasuke could almost hear the words that his sensei was thinking. The Uchiha shot one filthy glare at the Uzumaki as his thoughts cleared.
When both boys returned to the group, Sasuke received the usual treatment, praise and reassurance from the girls, but he ignored them routinely. Naruto, on the other hand, noticed a few approving glances from the boys. The pair placed themselves at either side of the group with faces set in frowns. They knew where the bar was set.
Shisui
The Body Flicker expert had been more than impressed with Naruto's recent training; while his skills had been progressing just like before, his mentality had stood out. Itachi had told him of the interaction between the pair at the academy and the rather sour outcome. After a brief conversation of how to talk to the two boys, Shisui decided that not much needed to be said; he didn't want to distract Naruto from his progress.
"Last time I showed you the body flicker, and I'm sure you went and tried it without me." The tiny blond gave a weak grin and scratched that annoying itch at the back of his head. "But I don't need to ask you to know that you couldn't do it." There was no accusation of low expectations, just a statement of pure fact.
"But I don't get it! I did the hand signs perfectly, and everything," Naruto impatiently complained, Shisui could do it so effortlessly, and he got nothing.
"I'm sure you did. Do you think you could show me what you're doing?" Shisui appeased; he had his mother help him with the body flicker so he knew how helpful someone with the Sharingan could be.
"Why," Naruto groaned. "It's not gonna change anything."
"Humour me," Shisui's voice held its patience.
"Fine." Closing his eyes, Shisui opened them to reveal blood-red irises; three tomoe spun in each before slowing to a stop. While the regular Body Flicker only required the Tiger seal, Shisui advised Naruto to add the Bird and Cat seals. It may shorten the technique range but be easier to perform for those aiming to learn it. So as Naruto did as he was told, Shisui watched as his student's chakra fluctuated at an astonishing rate. As he finished the seals, he moulded as much chakra as he could and pushed it through the entirety of his body. Shisui marvelled once more at the pure magnitude the boy held within him. It was so much so that Naruto's body couldn't contain the tidal wave of chakra that escaped him. Almost like blue flames, the external chakra coiled around his body before releasing in one colossal surge. With no small amount of amazement, Shisui ran his hand through his shaggy black hair. 'That chakra,' he thought. 'I don't think I could even handle that amount of power.'
"It'll be a while before you could use this technique. You simply don't have the chakra control necessary for it." The older boy lectured knowingly. "Luckily, that is something you can build up over time, and when your control becomes fine enough, you can perform almost any Jutsu."
"Got it, I'm going to make my control perfect-" His proclamation was cut short but Shisui's:
"That's going to be hard, especially for you."
"Huh, what's that mean?" Naruto asked, slightly overcome.
"It means, " Shisui stressed. "That chakra control exercises will be more difficult for you because of your incredible reserves of chakra. They dwarf even mine." Naruto didn't hesitate; he just looked up and gave his usual cheery grin.
"Then let's get on to it; if I have to make my control better, then I gotta get started, right?" Shisui always found it hard to not smile whenever he looked at Naruto; it was only made so much harder when the boy showed so much happiness. So with his own toothy smirk, he gave an affirmative nod.
"Have you ever climbed a tree before?" A very flat Naruto gave off a humourless tone.
"Shishi, you're not very funny."
"It's not a joke, the first exercise in chakra control is sticking a leaf to your forehead, but I think you would just crush it if you tried to do it." Shisui turned to the nearest tree and placed the sole of his foot against it. "Luckily, that isn't the only way to improve your control. Tree climbing is a widespread way most ninjas maintain or improve their control." Unfortunately, most of his words were spoken into the air for no one to hear. As he finished, he peeked down towards his student to find the blond's jaw slack. "You'll see it's not that hard once you get it down; most seasoned ninja does this without thinking."
"Can you do that, Shishi?" Naruto worded as he regained his cognisance.
"Don't worry about that; all you need to worry about is learning how to tree-walk." It only took Naruto a few moments of silent deliberation before he stared up at Shisui, fists balled in front of him as he proclaimed.
"Of course, I need to be worried about that because I'll climb that tree before you know it." Shisui held a hand to his right eye as he reminisced about his late teammate and best friend. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't have a rival to push him right now, not one like he had. That wouldn't need to change for a while; after all, he was still a long way from becoming a ninja, he still had time to build those bonds.
"Well, if you're so sure about that, start channelling a small amount of chakra at the base of your feet. Just be careful you have the right amount of chakra." Doing as he was told, Naruto fell into deep concentration, his hands folded into the Ram sign as his soles brightened with a luminescent blue. 'Not enough', Shisui's Sharingan recognised, the amount of chakra was directly proportionate was to the weight of the person. "Once you feel that you have the right amount of chakra, I want you to run up this tree." Turning around, Shisui drew his tantō and out of habit, it hummed a similar blue as he embedded it in the tree to the hilt. "When you can pull this tantō out of the tree, we can move onto the next part of your training. This training is based around how you feel, so I can't help too much, so in the meantime, there is someone that I need to meet." With a small wave and tired 'bye,' Shisui disappeared in a gust of wind. Momentarily lost, the blond's chakra dissipated, but the surprise didn't last long. He told Shisui that he would do something and Naruto wouldn't lie to him, so just as before, he built up his chakra. Feeling the pulse at his feet, he lined up the tall tree in front of him and charged.
One step.
Two step.
Three step-
Shisui.
-Floor.
"Ouch," Kakashi offered amicably, "looked like it hurt." His lone eye travelling up from his book to look at the sprawled out figure of the pained blond.
"He'll get up; it's Naruto," Shisui said, returning the peaceful nature. "Honestly, I don't think he'll complete this today." That drew some attention.
"Oh, you don't see him climbing the tree, and I'd heard that he had decent control of his chakra." That was true; his use of the replacement and transformation techniques, while not Genin level, was well ahead of his age and only improving.
"That is correct, but that isn't what I told him to do." The dull grey eye of the intrusive Jonin never left the page, but the man did chuckle.
"Itachi seems to be rubbing off on you, Naruto too."
"Possibly," Shisui granted. "But as much as he wants to move on, he won't until he's perfected his current step." The Hatake nodded, his silver hair inclining towards their topic.
"Respectable," The slanted Hidden Leaf headband glinted in the streaks of sunlight peeking through the trees as Kakashi levelled his gaze at the boy in the distance. As Naruto dusted himself off and charged up the tree once more, the silver-haired Jonin spoke up.
"I want to help train him." He spoke bluntly; both knew where this was going, might as well get on with it." The slanted Hidden Leaf headband glinted in the streaks of sunlight peeking through the trees as Kakashi levelled his gaze at the boy in the distance. As Naruto dusted himself off and charged up the tree once more, the silver-haired Jonin spoke up.
"I want to help train him." He spoke bluntly; both knew where this was going, might as well get on with it.
"I didn't think you'd speak so candidly about it, from what Itachi told me; I didn't think you wanted to be involved." Kakashi's narrowed eye stilled on his junior, but he released it with a sigh when he looked at Shisui's smile.
"Is that you talking or him." Shisui deigned not to answer; all of his attention was clearly on Naruto. "I want to help train him, and I won't lie, my involvement with him is out of our control; that is what I've been told." The special-Jonin expected as much; Naruto was the Jinchūriki, that set limitations on his life, so much of his life was already out of his control.
"I'd be lying if I said I was surprised, so I won't." Naruto took to the tree once more; this time, he blew the bark off the tree as he was propelled away. "You can help train him; it's not like I can do anything about it." The older of the two smiled behind his mask.
"Itachi made it out as if you were some indestructible nut that would take me months to crack."
"And you're making it out as if Naruto is some club, not someone you want to help." the lone grey eye turned icy as Kakashi rounded on his subordinate.
"I got enough accusations from Itachi, and I was polite enough to overlook them. Itachi is blunt in his nature and as mature as he is, he doesn't know better. But you Shisui do know better, so take a good hard look at how thin the ice your standing on is." Neither relented, Shisui held his calm gaze on his protégé. "You said you had no say in me helping training him, so I will help. Not yet, not until he has a better grasp on his chakra."
"Of course, I'd hate to impede."
"You're very fortunate that this is about Naruto; otherwise, your rank and pay would be at risk. As a special-Jonin, you're closer to Chunin than full Jonin." Shisui didn't like where this was going. "So your pay is closer to a Chunin's as well, don't go playing it so close to the vest. Your family couldn't afford that." While he'd never spoken to his senior before, it didn't surprise Shisui that Kakashi knew of his circumstances. Though he could feel his shoulders tightening to contain his rage, Shisui couldn't believe that Kakashi just threatened his mother and father. "Your actions don't just affect you; they affect those close to you too; your actions are more important than you think." Shisui took in the threats his superior was sending his way, though he was still yet to take his eyes off of his student.
" I didn't think you'd be so low as to threaten family. Did you think that it was necessary?" the young Uchiha couldn't believe his senior would use this direction as a way to get close to Naruto.
''When it comes to Naruto, if you aren't willing to risk what's important to you, you can't involve yourself. There is no dipping your toe in, either headfirst or not at all." shish wanted to step in but was cut off prematurely, "while Naruto may not be part of your family, he sees you as his. You got through, which means that any decision you make now affects him. Only certain people will give you leeway when it comes to him, so chose your battles wisely." A reality check for the special-Jonin, as the words continued to ring in his head, Shisui ran his fingers along the groove of his headband. As he looked at his hand, he noticed the dust and grime that had been removed from his headband. Had it really been that long since he cleaned it? He used to take such good care of it; what else had slipped. "All that said, I really have to thank you. If you didn't get involved with him, I wouldn't have either; perhaps I felt a little threatened that my chance was being taken away from me." As if he'd been holding that truth in for a while, Kakashi released a slow breath and brushed his hair with his left hand. Shisui took note of the man's headband.
"I doubt Naruto will be very long in improving his chakra control, and I doubt that I'll need to tell you how he is doing. When he's ready, I'll tell him that you want to meet him." The young ANBU captain's eye closed and curved upwards, his masks crinkling from his smile. "Though I do hope he doesn't get a big head from all the attention he's receiving."
"Loud and often tactless, yes, ungrateful, no. Naruto will never be ungrateful." The gentle Uchiha returned the smile.
"No, no, he won't."
"Thank you for this, but I really must be off." The pair nodded to each other as Kakashi tracked off. Looking from Naruto lying painfully on the ground to the dust on the tips of his fingers, finally, he glanced in the direction his senior had left. That headband was even dirtier than his.
Fire Capital, Feudal Lords Palace
Kandakai Madoka, a man of more diminutive stature, small beady eyes and long dark hair. A man who struggled to make his own decisions and is swayed easily, one you wouldn't put in difficult situations, wouldn't make tough decisions. Luckily, he wasn't anyone important; just the Feudal Lord of one of the most powerful nations in the shinobi world. His lordship was currently resting on a comfortable wooden chair overlooking the southern districts of the Capital. With all his mental fortitude, he consistently delegated most of his decisions to those around him; unfortunately, that was most commonly:
"Asuma, Kazuma," for these two, working under the most powerful person in the land, was rapidly losing its shine. Kazuma was a patriotic member of the Guardian Shinobi twelve, who sought to maintain the Land of Fire's strength. "Couldn't tell you sir, I haven't worked with any of them. What about you, Saru." The oldest Guardian ninja bumped his junior's shoulder with his own. Kazuma was facing the Feudal Lord, his back and elbows leaning against the railing. Asuma joined his lordship in enjoying the view; he wasn't just protecting Kandakai; he watched everyone in the Capital.
"Tch," Asuma grunted and rolled his arm away from his dark-haired senior. "Maybe you haven't, but I've worked some missions with a few of them. Gloomy bunch the lot of them, no fun to be around." Asuma Sarutobi, a gruff man, heralded from the Hidden Leaf Village, son of their current Hokage.
"A true shame, Hiruzen was very forward in recommending these two. Two young Uchiha's both appear to be as skilled as Jonin or seasoned Chunin." His lordship seemed truly devasted at the news.
"How old are they, sir?" Kazuma leaned in; young could mean many things. To his thirty-two, he considered Asuma to be young, and his junior was twenty.
"Ten and thirteen, I told you they were young, didn't I?" Asuma ground his teeth, memories of the silver-haired Hatake were pushed back into his mind. Children in this world were to be protected, not put out there to kill for the village. What the hell was his father thinking? Noting the tenseness in his partners features, Kazuma bumped Asuma once more.
"Chill, I'm sure the Hokage knows what he's doing." Luckily Asuma's smoking habit had long since been accepted by his colleagues and the Feudal lord himself. Pushing himself up by his elbows, Asuma bumped out a cigarette and set his lighter; the soothing feel of the familiar warmth helped the ticked Sarutobi relax.
"I'd hope so; he's an old man after all." The smoke expelled pushed past Kazuma as he rested his arms on the rail of the balcony.
"I do hope that you Sarutobi's will make up; when your stint here ends, I would hate for your relationship to continue as it is now." Asuma never enjoyed this topic; he and his father didn't get along, that was that. When he was promoted to Jonin, Asuma childishly believed that his father would finally treat him like an adult. That belief had been quickly washed down the drain when he realised that he was being babied, still not breaching past B-rank protection details. He could understand if he was still too inexperienced to lead A-rank missions as a green Jonin, but not that.
"Please, sir. My domestic situation is hardly essential for this decision." Kazuma and his Lordship sighed, one more dramatic than the other.
"As always, you are correct. Thank you, Asuma, but I truly wish that you two could tell me what you think now that you have read their files and recommendations." Kazuma straightened to attention before speaking.
"Two supposed prodigies, one being the heir to one of the most powerful clans in our world. The other is already widely regarded as a talent far exceeding the very same clan: Itachi Uchiha and Shisui of the Body Flicker. My only reservations lie in their age and lack of experience, sir." Nodding along with approving high pitched hums, Kandakai rounded out.
"Do not worry; it will be two more years before we need to make a decision. Shiryō and Wasureta have already told me that they wish to return home once they are no longer contracted. A shame, they made the best tea." Kazuma ran a rough hand through his charcoal hair, and with a harmless tone, returned.
"Please, sir, do not make decisions about your safety based on who makes the best tea. You have others for that. Your safety is paramount and should be the primary concern when deciding on such matters."
"But the green tea," Kandakai whined.
"Please, sir," Kazuma pleaded; he often found himself tired when conversing with the Feudal lord. But he would not refrain from performing his duties; to serve him was an honour.
"Yes, yes." His lordship waved off the concerns inattentively; these moments always worried his guards. "Asuma, do think they could be meaningful inclusions."
"Honestly, I don't think they should be anywhere near this group. But it couldn't hurt to have the two; it would also reflect very well on you, sir, as well as the land itself." Having the big name of Shisui, the teleporter.
"Really? You think so?"
"I agree with Saru, Sir. It would indeed be an impressive show of strength to have even one Uchiha amongst our ranks." Drawing his hand from the opposite sleeve, fan in hand, he opened it and began to cool himself. In a cheery voice, he gleefully informed them.
"Then we have some winners, how wonderful. Please tell the messengers to send word to Hiruzen; he will decide when to inform them of our request." Rubbing out what was left of his cigarette, Asuma turned to face Kandakai, saluting."
"With haste, sir. Tōu." Vanishing in a small gust of wing, enough to ruffle Kazuma's hair, Asuma disappeared. As a direct replacement, a woman of similar age appeared when small arcs or electricity slowly fizzled out.
"At attention, sir." She voiced, her tomboyish voice and stature shining through.
"Thank you, Tōu." Given her reprieve, she slumped against the railing, yawning crudely, she complained.
"God, that guy is such a sourpuss. And he talks about how that clan are a bunch of downers, what a hypocrite."
"You're so tactless; even in his lordship's presence, you act like a brute." Kazuma bit his cheek, had they no respect.
"Go suck eggs, Kazu. You're no fun either, you act all fun, but you're so righteous too." Tiredly, her senior sighed.
"Of course I am; we must set a good example. As Guardian shinobi-"
"It's our duty. We know already; you tell us every time."
"So do it!" Kazuma's aggravation peaked for a moment, breaking his decor. "It's only because of that chick from the Hidden Leaf, because he won't go out with you, right?"
"I just don't get it; my womanly charm should've worked by now." She childishly stomped her foot, grinding the fallen cigarette into dust. Kazuma gripped the wooden beam tightly enough to lightly crack the timber. The action went unnoticed by the other two present.
"Womanly charm, right.." He drew out the last syllable provocatively, a playful grin on his stony features.
"I get she's nifty with those illusions, but that's it. The way he talks about it's as if she needs to be cradled like a child. If I didn't use lightning Ninjutsu and he didn't use wind Ninjutsu, I'd probably have him beat." Tōu dramatised everything, often it would be pretty humorous, endearing even.
"Yes, it almost as if that is a vital difference when in a fight." For someone who had disciplined themself to ensure their accumulation of strength, she really should be more knowledgeable. His lordship had tired from their squabbling. To grab their attention, he tapped his hand fan on the arm of his wooden chair.
"That is enough; my nephew Ikkyū will be here soon. I would hope you two are on your best behaviour; we will be discussing certain topics; when he arrives, please remain outside."
Hokage's Office
Fugaku stood in front of his village leader; the man was as stoic as ever, his eyes not leaving those of Hiruzen's. He knew the older man; he knew he was no slouch, not someone who had gone soft and declined with age. But he didn't enjoy such games; he preferred the direct approach.
"Why did you summon me, Lord Hokage?" The deceivingly warm brown eyes of his leader studied his face. He had no guilts, nothing to be ashamed of, as the Uchiha clan's head, no less was acceptable.
"Why so stiff, Fugaku? I have only called you to inform you of some developments." The chilling gaze deepened, Fugaku decided to play along.
"I didn't realise such meetings were happening without me. Is there a reason I hadn't been informed prior," It was an insult to be told that he hadn't been included in talks that would improve his clan's standing amongst the village.
"Only that I didn't want to give you false hope beforehand." Hiruzen returned eye contact for a second, that was until he turned back to his window, his village. "I believe that I found a start to our problem, a small crack that can open with some pressure."
"More pressure could lead to a volatile outcome that would only worsen things."
"True, but could it hurt." The Uchiha clan's head had exhausted many avenues to help his clan appear better to the villagers. He had been more in control of the Uchiha Police Force, more demanding; any disobedience was not tolerated and punished severely. Not liking the answer he'd prefer to say, Fugaku remained silent. "Perhaps your right, but I would like for you to at least hear what I have to say." It wasn't as if Fugaku could say no; his position left him very well informed on the chain of command.
"Of course,"
"Thank you, I have sent recommendations for two of your clan to our Feudal Lord. Two young members, they will perform their duties as Guardian shinobi and will train under the senior members." Fugaku had not expected a solution that came from outside of the village; perhaps he underestimated Hiruzen.
"Who," That was a critical condition.
"Shisui and Itachi-"
"No," The heir was not some shogi piece on Hiruzen's board. "While he has refused the Police force, Itachi will be joining your ANBU forces soon. I will not have my son out of the village; our clan has trained him so far. He does not need outside help." That would be a very public blow to their clan's pride. The reaction would most likely be adverse from those in the clan, but if managed well... "But you are aware of that, aren't you, Lord Hokage."
"Do not worry; I am more than aware of your clan's skills. There are reasons the Sarutobi's refrained from joining battles against your clan. Only the Senju could ever match you. One would be a fool to not see your strengths."
"I see the honey, Lord Hokage." The Uchiha are a prideful clan, that was talked about almost as much as their power in the village. Often more in recent times.
"But, your clan has heard enough of that, and so has the village." Hiruzen sourly admitted to the clan head, his eyes flicking to the taller buildings surrounding the village's southern district.
"By claiming that we can accept help, it can begin to remove some of the discrimination."
"This will not be widely accepted; few will bow to the village." Unless it guaranteed success, Fugaku wouldn't either.
"They will not need to bow; it will only be for appearances. As such, we will admit some of the other clans and even civilian families to your police force." This was dangerous territory; the village's safety was vital.
"They will not be permitted unless you deem them fit to serve, but you will be forced to remove some of your officers to train them. You will work in conjunction with the Yamanaka clan, as they front the barrier corps, it is obvious." It was no longer a hand the Hokage was offering; these were orders. He wouldn't disobey, not risk worsening relationships further.
"Which clans will put their children forward," Some already have their opinions set about his clan.
"I will push for all clans, but don't expect more than the Naras or Inuzuka. I understand your concerns; both clans can be quite hard to manage, but if they can serve, it can only help support the village." Tsume and Shikaku, he could deal with them. Once you got past their idiosyncrasies, their ideals were respectable.
"And the Hyuga?" The only clan in the village with visual prowess, it always led to a dispute between the two families.
"We would be naive to hope that Hiashi won't say something, and I can only request that you do not retaliate."
"I am not a child, neither is he. Passing comments are nothing." Fugaku could take some prodding for the survival of his clan. Hiruzen stripped his eyes away from the village to look at the man in front of him.
"As I said, it is all that I request of you." Enough said on that matter.
"Shisui and Itachi, How long will they be at the Capital," Too long, and it might lose worth in the trade-off.
"Shisui will be there for three years, Itachi, two."
"That is... acceptable." Fugaku begrudgingly admitted. "How much time do we have until then."
"They will be required to make their decision in two years." That was also Sacrifices were necessary. Hopefully, Mikoto wouldn't be too upset. "Why the difference? Would it not be best for them to go and leave together."
"Maybe, but it might show that they wouldn't be open to the offered company."
"That's weak, Lord Hokage."
"Wars have started over less. Plus, Itachi will be almost a teen when he returns, meaning a direct involvement in clan matters; Shisui has no such responsibilities." Hiruzen was still looking after his clan.
"I would like to be the one to inform them, is that... acceptable."
"I see no issue with that."
I took a bit to think about this story. After what I think was a trainwreck, my previous story, I wanted to make sure this didn't go the same way.
Don't expect chapters every fortnight, I'm not the best at putting the words I want onto the page so it'll take some patience to hopefully enjoy it.