"But this is an abomination! No outsider should have been able to get our sacred eye!" Hebari Hyuuga exclaimed, slamming his palm against the oak wood of the Hokage's desk. "I suggest we take the eye out of the child and destroy it!"
"And weaken the last remaining Umino heir?" Jiraiya of the three Sannin pointed out calmly. He was relaxed against the far wall, observing the meeting between the Hyuuga Main House heads and the Hokage. If this dispute was not settled by sunset, it would be escalated the next day in a full court, the Konoha Council and all.
"The boy's blood is not so weak," Hiashi Hyuuga stated firmly, the heir to the main family. "Yes, it would be a hindrance, but the boy is strong enough to work around it. Look at his parents, after all."
"But we have no way to be certain," Jiraiya countered, crossing his arms as if stating that's that. Hiruzen leaned back in his high office chair and steepled his fingers together, wide brim hat casting a dramatic shadow across his form from the afternoon sunlight.
"If I may make a suggestion," he put forth. Once he saw their commandeered attention, he continued, "the risk of removing the eye from the boy without the most skilled of medi-nin is too high -"
"- the hell it is!" Hebari interjected angrily, liver spotted hands gripping the hems of his kimono sleeves tightly.
"- and we all know," Hiruzen continued, side eyeing Hebari at the interruption, "that continuing to keep your bloodlines pure is detrimental to the Hyuuga Clan without outsider blood." There was a heavy pause: half in disbelief and outrage at the candid disrespect, and half in hopeful contemplation. Hebari and Hiashi looked at each other, father and son, and seemed to have a silent discussion.
"There is also the fact that the boy's parents are deceased," Jiraiya pointed out. "If you were to adopt the boy into the clan, not only would the eye be safe, but your clan would get the benefit of the Umino bloodline as well."
The silence was stifling. Sandaime Hokage sat back, and hoped.
…
Iruka was interrupted in his heavy contemplation of the condensation trickling down the side of his water glass by a knock on the door frame. Snapping his head up in surprise might have been a mistake, but the pain was a miniscule drop in the bucket compared to his befuddlement. "Saindame-sama," he started, rising to his elbows with a small grimace. He hadn't expected the Hokage to visit twice in a day.
"Please lay down, Iruka-kun," Sarutobi waved off, gliding into the small room with a man of the same age behind him. "Do you know who this is?"
"No, Hokage-sama," Iruka murmured. He noticed long black hair and white eyes. He didn't need to know who this was to understand what this was about. His heart leapt and raced double speed.
"This is Hebari Hyuuga, the current head of the Main House of the Hyuuga clan. Hebari-san, this is Umino Iruka, the last remaining heir to the Umino clan."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Hyuuga-sama," Iruka greeted, as politely as he could. Large, important clans were known to favor respect to the elders and clan leaders. If he didn't use manners now this whole conversation could turn ugly.
"At least the boy has manners," Hebari said dryly. "Iruka Umino, I have some questions for you. It will be in both of our best interests for you to answer completely truthfully."
Swallowing, Iruka croaked, "Yes, Hyuuga-sama, I will do my best."
"See to it that you do." The man gracefully stole the seat next to Iruka's bed, leaving the Hokage standing. Iruka's shoulders drew up at the blatant sign of disrespect and it was only the small curve of Hebari's mouth that stilled his tongue. "And a fire, as well," Hebari murmured, nodding once, shortly. "Good. For my first question: are you aware of what, precisely, resides inside of your head?"
"Yes, Hyuuga-sama," Iruka stated.
"Explain."
"I carry the Byakugan, Hyuuga-sama."
"I know you are not obtuse, boy. I said explain."
Iruka frowned, good eye narrowed upon the harrowed face before him. There was a reason Hebari was asking him this. Blank white eyes gazed back peacefully and he felt a chill in the air at the possibilities behind them. "The Byakugan is one of the Three Great Dojutsu that originated from the father clan Otsutsuki. It is the All-Seeing Eye."
"I see you've paid attention in school, as well, despite your widely known reputation as the class clown." Iruka was quickly becoming irked at his new guest, but only the silence of his Hokage and the mischievous glint inside milky white eyes kept him from ordering the man out of his room, respect be damned. "But that is not all the Byakugan is. This eye, the one that now resides inside of you, holds our secrets. It is the sole reason the Hyuuga clan exists. This eye is one of the most important parts of Konoha; we are Konoha's eyes, the reason we tread so highly on victory. Do you, now, understand what this eye is?"
Iruka's eye had widened at the blasé speech, puzzle pieces finally clicking together. If this eye is- and he's here- oh, boy…
Hebari scrutinized him for a long moment, milky white staring straight into golden brown. He sat back, satisfied. "I see you are far smarter than those give you credit for."
"Hyuuga-sama, are you - are you asking what I think you're asking?"
It was quiet despite Hiruzen's hitched heart.
Finally, "Iruka Umino, you have officially been adopted into the Hyuuga clan's Main House."
Iruka's befuddlement knew no bounds. This eye he now carried belonged to one of the most influential ninja clans in the entire world. The fact that it resided in a thirteen year old gennin was already astounding, but adopting him into the Main House and not giving him the Hyuuga Clan Juuinjutsu seal? Not taking the eye out, no matter the risk? The Hokage wouldn't be able to stop them if they wished for that kind of outcome, but the fact that they didn't...
"Why me, sir? Why did you not just take the eye back?"
"Yes," Hebari murmured, just loud enough for Iruka to glean the words, "far smarter than those give you credit for." Louder. "Two reasons. The first." Hebari raised his hand, one finger up. "The Umino blood is a powerful ally, and one we intend to covet. And secondly," another finger rose, "the Hyuuga clan has a very long history, and at certain times it has been encouraged for one whose family holds potential to join in the Branch House."
Iruka blanched at the thought of the Hyugua clan not accepting foreign people while maintaining their tight leashes on the houses. While he did not entirely understand why his blood was so highly valuable - his parents had died before they were able to educate him on his family line and any kekkei genkais they must have; which they must have, if this fuss was anything to go by - he did know what it meant when a clan was too pure, and what possible ramifications would crop up. Such as pure genius, and more unfortunate genes, like crazy and insane geniuses. And worse; psychopaths were common in those with pure bloodlines. To keep his clan sane, Hebari would adopt or marry in outside blood, even if it was, for all intents and purposes, tainted.
"Will I be treated as less than? Hyuuga-sama?" Respect be damned, he would rather run away than be treated as lesser than himself.
"I did say you were to join the Main House, yes?"
More shocked at the blatant favoritism than him joining the Main House, he managed to squeak out a quiet, "Huh?"
"I did say your blood was highly coveted. After looking at your file, we've come to see that you've never learned of your kekkei genkai. We have clan members who are . . . familiar with your parents. They have knowledge that will help you gain access to your bloodline. And in doing so, we will shape it and adopt it into our clan. For that, you must be of the Main House." His hands casually crossed in front of his lap. "And because you are part of the Main House, you will get the respect a Main House member commands. Does this sound fair to you?"
Oh boy. He's not joking around about this limit I've yet to learn. He blanched. This means I have to marry a Hyuuga and have kids with her. No matter how mature he acted, he was still only thirteen years old. There was only so much tolerance for girls he could take. The thought of marrying one. Well.
"Do you accept, Iruka Umino? Not that you can refuse, besides."
Swallowing again in what surely had to be less than a minute, he croaked out, "Yes, sir."
Hebari stood swiftly, turning to the door. "Oh," he said casually over his shoulder, not quite glancing at the aghast boy, "you have until tomorrow at four to gather your belongings and turn over your lease."
"Yes, sir," Iruka said heavily, throat suddenly gripped tight.
Oh boy.