II: A Step in the Right Direction
Itachi sat in the family gardens, silently reflecting on the events of the previous week. In an unexpected twist of fate he was now going to take over leadership of the Uchiha clan, his father relinquishing the position after being subjected to the Kotoamatsukami at Shisui's hands. Tomorrow the clan meeting that would announce this change in leadership and make it official would be held. The Uchiha Coup had been prevented, at least for the moment.
"Brother, do you have a moment?" Itachi heard the voice of his little brother interrupting his contemplations.
Itachi looked at Sasuke from over his shoulder. "Yes, Sasuke?"
Sasuke nervously looked down at the ground, shuffling his feet. He then steeled himself. "Is it true that Father is making you Clan Head?"
Itachi was surprised by this question. The only people who should know about this arrangement at the moment were Itachi, Fugaku, Shisui, and the Third Hokage. "Where did you hear this?"
"I overheard Father and Mother talking about it," Sasuke replied, averting his eyes and wearing a slight pout.
The look of surprise on Itachi's face turned into a soft smile as he motioned for his brother to sit next to him. "Yes, it is true. Is there is something concerning you about it?"
Sasuke sat down next to Itachi, his face screwed in thought. "I don't know. Maybe."
"Come on," Itachi said. "You can tell me."
Sasuke looked down at the ground. "It's just that, Father is already making you Clan Head, and you're not even 14 yet. You're his favorite, I just can't seem to catch up."
Itachi took a deep breath and stared off into the distance for a moment. He understood what this was about, he remembered a similar conversation with Sasuke not too long ago. "It's alright if you hate me for it. I already told you that I will always be there for you, even if it's just as an obstacle."
Sasuke clenched his fists, which started shaking, catching Itachi's attention. "I know you told me that, Brother. Believe me, I've tried, but no matter what you or I do, or how much Father praises you over me, I can't hate you."
Itachi smiled. "Well, that's good to hear."
Sasuke stopped shaking as he looked up at Itachi with a look of mild surprise. That quickly turned into a smile and both brothers laughed.
"You know, Sasuke, there is one thing that I have a hard time doing that you may be able to surpass me in," Itachi said as the laughter died down.
Sasuke snapped into a state of attention, curious what his brother would say next. "What is it?"
Itachi leaned back on his hands. "I was never particularly good at making friends. Perhaps that is something you could do better than me."
"Friends…" Sasuke mumbled to himself.
"Tell me, Sasuke," Itachi said, "you've been at the Academy for a while now, are there any classmates that you feel close to? Any that have caught your eye."
Sasuke remained quiet for a moment, thinking, before answering. "No, I haven't been really friendly with any of the other kids. Well actually…"
"Yes?" Itachi queried as Sasuke trailed off.
"There is this one kid, but he's more annoying than anything else," Sasuke continued.
"Alright, and who is this kid?" Itachi asked.
"Naruto Uzamaki," Sasuke answered. "He's the class clown and he's always challenging me. But he's just a loser, it's annoying."
One of Itachi's eyebrows rose, he was surprised to hear that particular child singled out. "Is that what you really think of him? What do you actually know about him?"
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "I told you, he's just an annoying, hopeless loser."
"Is that all there is to it?" Itachi asked.
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked in return.
"Well, think about his reasons for what he does, why he keeps challenging you, why he keeps playing the class clown," Itachi replied.
"Well, I…I don't know." Sasuke answered.
"Come on, there has to be something," Itachi encouraged.
"Well…well…he's last in the class…and…um," Sasuke said, struggling for anything.
Itachi sighed, apparently Sasuke was just as bad at this as he had been, for one reason or another their peers slipped past them without really getting their attention. "Alright. He's last in the class and you're first. He sees you so far ahead of him and yet refuses to be left behind, believing that he'll catch up. It's kind of similar to how you see me, probably."
"But…you're always helping me," Sasuke said, "at least, when you have the time."
"Then why don't you help him?" Itachi asked.
Sasuke looked up at his brother, a surprised look on his face. He then looked back down at the ground.
"Furthermore," Itachi continued, "Naruto is an orphan, he never knew his parents and he has no siblings. The village as a whole has ostracized him. He's probably a class clown because he's desperate for attention, any kind at all."
Sasuke had a look on his face as if he just made some great realization and it stayed there for a moment before it turned into a look of confusion. "Wait, how do you know so much about Naruto?"
Itachi smiled softly, tapping his little brother on the forehead, as was his habit, and stood up. "Maybe I'll tell you about it some other time, Sasuke."
Itachi sat quietly at the front of the Uchiha secret meeting chamber, a far cry from his usual spot in the back, next to Shisui. The meeting where his leadership would be announced was to be held in a little over an hour and Itachi was alone as his parents stayed outside, gathering the members of the clan.
Itachi's cousin and best friend, Shisui came into the chamber. He walked over and sat down next to Itachi. "It's the moment of truth, isn't it?"
"Yes," Itachi answered, "but the struggle could just be starting."
"What do you mean?" Shisui asked. "We've removed your father from power, the coup has been averted."
"My father may have been planning the coup, but the impetus behind it remains," Itachi replied. "Our clansmen remain disgruntled."
"I see," Shisui responded, "and things might just get worse. Without Lord Fugaku to direct their energies and keep them in line with his plan they might just let their anger boil over."
Itachi nodded in agreement. "And if they don't agree with my decisions, then they might just direct their anger at me."
Shisui placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder. "They'll have to target both of us."
Itachi chuckled slightly. "They probably will, at that."
The first of the Uchiha clan members begin to file into the meeting chamber. Shisui stood up and started to move towards his usual spot near one of the back corners. "Don't worry too much about it," he said as he walked away.
Many of the clan members eye Itachi as they take their seats, some of them seem curious, others confused, a handful suspicious. This was understandable as Itachi, though he was the heir and already one of the clan's most accomplished shinobi, was still a teenager, only recently allowed to attend these meetings and expected to stay at the back, listening to his elders and speaking only when called upon.
The last of the clan members to walk in were Itachi's own parents, Fugaku and Mikoto. The former took his usual spot, as is traditional for the clan head, front and center in the room, a little forward and to the right of Itachi. Mikoto sat behind and to her husband's right, also dictated by tradition.
Fugaku stood in his spot for a moment and surveyed the room for a moment before finally sitting himself, the last to do so. This marked the formal beginning of the meaning.
"Alright Fugaku, what is this meeting about? We just had one not two weeks ago." That was Teyaki Uchiha, owner of the famed Uchiha Senbei shop. Not a shinobi and unconcerned with politics, he attended these clan meetings primarily as a formality.
"Teyaki," Fugaku replied, "I understand that you're annoyed about the unplanned nature of this meeting, but there is a matter of great importance that I wish to make known to the whole of the clan."
"Then let's hear it," Teyaki said.
Fugaku cleared his throat audibly, taking a moment to look around the room. The lack of sound in the room was oppressive to Itachi's ears.
"I am announcing my abdication as Clan Head. I am passing the leadership of the Uchiha on to my eldest son, Itachi." Fugaku gestured towards Itachi himself.
The meeting chamber suddenly exploded in noise, with general murmuring of "what" and "did he just say that?" and "how did this happen?"
Fugaku closed his eyes and held out his hand, open palmed, signaling those gathered to quiet themselves. They complied.
After a moment one of the clan's older shinobi stood up and spoke. "Sir, are you sure that this is wise? Itachi is but a teenager and you are hardly an old man."
"This decision was not made based on age, Yashiro," Fugaku replied, "I have made it on the basis of what I believe to be for the good of the clan."
"Is this truly for the good of the clan?" Yashiro retorted. "This is a pivotal moment in the history of the Uchiha, is a change in leadership truly helpful? To a child no less."
"I would remind you that I was only a few years older than Itachi when I inherited the clan," Fugaku replied.
"Yes sir," Yashiro said, "but you inherited it when your father died on the battlefield, it was forced upon you by circumstance. And you were ready for the responsibility."
"And I believe that my son is more prepared than I was, " Fugaku retorted.
Itachi could have chimed in here and perhaps listed his accomplishments, but he did not want to create the image of being arrogant.
Especially since, apparently, some among the clan already had this preconception. "Itachi is just an insolent whelp, he needs to learn proper respect before he can claim to lead the mighty Uchiha." Inabi Uchiha stood up next to Yashiro and voiced his opinion.
"Now, now," Teyaki interjected, "we all know how accomplished Itachi is, even at his young age. I trust him and Fugaku both. If he says that Itachi is ready to lead then I say go right ahead."
Another voice joined into the conversation, though they remained seated. "I would like to know what it is that Itachi plans to do in regards to the coup. As Yashiro said this is an important time for the clan, probably the most since the founding of the Hidden Leaf itself," Tekka Uchiha said.
Itachi took a deep breath, preparing himself to address the question. "I would like to postpone the coup plans for the moment."
"Postpone?!" yelled Inabi. He and Yashiro looked ready to fight if they weren't immediately appeased.
"I do not think that this is the opportune time," Itachi said quickly. "The village is stronger than it has ever been. We should wait for the inevitable decline, bide our time and pick the perfect moment to strike."
Yashiro and Inabi relaxed and looked to be, if not accepting, then at least cautiously consenting. "Very well, we will wait for the moment," Tekka commented. "And abide by your decision, Fugaku sir."
"Thank you," Fugaku said, "and to make it clear, I am still retaining my position as the Military Police Chief. Itachi will continue as an ANBU with reduced duties."
After taking a moment to make sure that all of this was understood, the now former Clan Head nodded and signaled the end of the meeting for his last time. As the rest of the Uchiha filed out of the room Itachi remained in his seat.
Once the room was empty save for them, Shisui approached him and sat down. "Telling them that plans are delayed instead of scraped entirely. Interesting tactic. We will see how long it works."
"Indeed," Itachi replies. "Yashiro, Inabi, and Tekka will be the ones to watch. They are the ones that have been the primary instigators of the coup and they will be the ones to let it go last."
"I agree," Shisui says. "Your father may have been the one planning the details, but those three have been the driving force behind creating those plans."
"In any case we should be going," Itachi said as he stood up. He and Shisui left the meeting hall together, ready to face the task ahead of them.
