"Again."
"Plant your right foot against the ground, use it to push off when you swing. You'll hit harder."
"Again."
"Never drop your left hand from the guard position, you don't want to get stabbed just because you thought you got your target."
"Again, harder."
"Good progress. I'll teach you more once you're stronger physically. Keep practicing these katas, they'll give you a good base to continue improving."
The seven year old panted, blonde hair matted with sweat, sticking to his tan skin. The little Naruto wore his hair almost exactly like his father, wild and untamed, gravity defying. His small frame was clad in a miniature flak jacket that his father had made just for him, complete with the Konohan Leaf emblazoned on the back. The lower half of his face was clad exactly like his father's, the midnight blue mask covering much of his features.
The little Hatake's sparkling blue eyes were the most prominent characteristic that stood out, drawing the most attention. Kakashi always marveled at the depth in those eyes, the cerulean blue that seemed to almost glow. He wished that his son would never lose an eye like he did.
"Tired?"
The boy shook his head in the negative.
"Good. Again."
The sounds of combat filled the air again in the empty training ground, as the Hatake duo exchanged another round of katas. Kakashi privately marveled at his son's stamina and freakish chakra reserves. He was a year away from enlisting in the academy, but the boy was already hauling chakra reserves large enough to give even a Jōnin pause. A side effect of the Kyūbi, Kakashi mused. Still, the boy was tremendously gifted. In the three years following the kidnapping, he had begun training his son. It had started with basic strength and flexibility exercises, the very same his own father had gone through with him when he was a child.
Naruto had taken to the routine like a fish to water, his boundless energy finally finding a productive outlet. He trained relentlessly, always citing his desire to be as cool of a ninja as his father as his motivation. Kakashi remembered the day he asked his son to take the mask, three years ago.
"Naru-chan?"
"Tou-chan?" The little boy's expression, full of innocence and wonder, so far away from the guarded and wary tension that marred the faces of every shinobi, filled Kakashi with a deepx burning protectiveness.
"I made this for you. Our family's own tradition." He held up the mask, midnight blue and fitted to perfection.
"Just for me?" Naruto's widened eyes caused Kakashi's breath to catch. The joy was anathema to Kakashi's own pain when he first donned the mask, and it was all Kakashi could do to force down the conflicting emotions that welled up in his heart.
"You're my son, Naruto. A true Hatake."
His boy had flung himself at him like a torpedo, a joyous little explosion of energy. Sarutobi had been right, the mask had become Naruto's most treasured possession, a talisman of the idolization he had for his father.
"Oh my goodness look at him! He's adorable Kakashi! And he looks just like you!" Kurenai was almost squealing.
Asuma chuckled.
"You raising a mini scarecrow, Kakashi. Even his hair's copying yours."
"He's a good kid. What can I say?" Kakashi gave his friends an indulgent eye smile, even as Kurenai pulled at Naruto's masked cheeks, the little boy squawking in protest.
Kakashi was broken out of his reverie by a solid connection to his right side.
"Got you, Tou-chan!" The triumphant glee in his son's voice brought a smile to Kakashi's face.
"So you did, Naru-chan. Ramen it is." The boy began dancing in joy, a hilarious jig that surprised Kakashi with how ludicrous it looked.
"Has Gai-san been teaching you things again?"
"Hm?"
Sarutobi looked every single one of his nearly seventy years, Danzo thought. Though, he felt just as old his lifelong rival did, so he was in no particular position to judge.
Jiraiya was still the frighteningly imposing ninja that he had always been, towering over his aging Sensei even while slouching lazily against the wall. He had no illusions that despite Jiraiya's apparent indifference and playful demeanor, the man was remarkably perceptive. He did run the one of the largest spy networks in all the Elemental Nations after all. Danzo would be careful around him, for he knew Jiraiya had never trusted him. Not after the incidents so long ago in Rain Country.
Still, Danzo knew that Jiraiya would support him, in this discussion at least. The man was nothing but zealous in his hatred for Orochimaru. Hiruzen sighed deeply, taking another deep puff from his pipe.
"How long did you say, Danzo?"
"Three years, minimally. Could be more."
"Under our noses?"
"I have two agents in deep infiltration within his network. They have only managed to return a single report in the three years they have been inserted. The report, however, is reliable."
"He's right, Sensei. I've been sniffing out some rumors of a new Hidden Village based in Sound. Haven't found it yet, but I've come across some abandoned outposts. You can't wash the smell of snake out so easily."
Danzo nodded at Jiraiya, acknowledging his support.
"Orphans?"
"At least a hundred at this point. He's been taking the unwanted ones and those that grow too old for the orphanages to continue supporting."
"That's his MO, Sensei. You know it." Jiraiya's voice remained calm, but Danzo could sense the anger lurking beneath the veneer of relaxation.
Sarutobi's face was pained, and Danzo almost pitied him. That had been his greatest flaw, for the longest time. His damned compassion and kindness, his belief that every person was redeemable. It was a commendable belief, but in the pragmatic, cutthroat world of the Shinobi, was sometimes misplaced. Jiraiya seemed to read his Sensei's pain just as easily as Danzo did.
"You don't have to confront him, Sensei. I can put him down myself." Jiraiya's dark words contrasted with his jovial tone.
"Orochimaru has become a liability, Hiruzen. The man has outlived his usefulness, and now only poses a threat to the village. You must act now, and end this while he is still within reach. If you spook him, he will go to ground and vanish. If you cannot even find Tsunade-hime now, how will you find Orochimaru if he flees?" Danzo pushed his old friend.
"I will speak to him." Sarutobi finally spoke, softly and painfully.
"He'll kill you, Sensei." Jiraiya deadpanned.
"That is not the wisest course of action, Hiruzen." Danzo was a great deal more diplomatic.
"I owe him that, at least. For all my mistakes."
Jiraiya's mask finally slipped, and the Toad Sage's rage came to the forefront.
"Sensei. Listen to yourself. Orochimaru's been off the deep end ever since you chose Minato over him all those years ago. That wasn't your fault, the snake's a sociopathic madman. He hates you, he hates this village. You can't keep telling yourself that he's some spurned child that just wishes for his teacher to soothe his hurt feelings. He. Is. Evil." Jiraiya's last words were accented, convicted by indignation at his Sensei's naivety.
"I've failed all three of you!" Sarutobi suddenly roared, coming to his feet. His chakra flared, and for an instant, Danzo experienced the sheer power of the Kami no Shinobi. Jiraiya was unaffected by the crushing pressure of the chakra saturating the air, instead, a curious look of pain coming across his face.
"Too late for regrets now, Sensei. Go, then. Appeal to that snake bastard's humanity. I'll be waiting to kill him once he turns on you." Jiraiya scoffed, before leaving.
Sarutobi collapsed into the Hokage's chair, and in that single moment, Danzo realized he had never seen the legendary Shinobi look more defeated. Even that cursed day an age ago when the Nidaime sacrificed himself that Sarutobi and Danzo would live, Hiruzen had sworn to go on, had taken up the mantle of Hokage, and had lead Konoha to triumph in the First Shinobi World War. It was not a look that Danzo enjoyed seeing.
"Go, Danzo. I will handle my wayward student."
Danzo nodded, rising from his chair and grasping his cane.
"If you lack the will to end this, I will take things into my own hands, Hiruzen."
"Just go."
"Hokage-sama."
His cane echoed a little louder than usual in the emptiness of the office, Danzo mused.
"Itakadimasu." Itachi kept his tone level.
"Please, everybody eat!" His mother's melodious voice couldn't help but bring a smile to his face, even after all this time. The thirteen year old tucked in at his mother's words.
Uchiha Mikoto looked nothing like the mother of two sons, age lending her looks refinement and grace, rather than wear and tear. She was a true classical beauty, the perfect Uchiha Matriarch. She was, more importantly, his mother. His rock and pillar of support, Itachi would do anything for her.
"Itakadimasu!" Sasuke's cheerful tone was another source of contentment for Itachi. His younger brother, now seven, was growing into a fine young man. He was talented, flashing glimpses of skill and prodigious potential equal to his brother. Itachi took whatever time he could to spend time with his brother, and Sasuke idolized him for it.
His father merely inclined his head, acknowledging his family, before partaking of a chopstickful of rice. Even in the presence of family the man remained utterly composed.
He spoke, raising an eyebrow at his eldest son.
"Shikaku-san congratulated me earlier today. When were you planning to tell your father of your promotion?"
Itachi met his father's searching gaze with equal composure.
"The paperwork is not yet filled, nor have I been assigned a squad. I was planning to tell you once I received my command proper."
His mother leaned over, placing a manicured hand on his shoulder.
"Itachi! To be promoted to Captain, and at such a young age, why, you must have broken the record!"
"The ANBU does not choose its captains lightly, Itachi. You have done your family proud."
The thirteen year old would be lying if he said that he did not feel a surge of pride and joy at hearing his father's approval. Even after so long, his father's praise was a rare commodity, and Itachi, like any son, craved his father's pride.
His joy did not reach his face, however, for no Uchiha would show such blatant weakness.
"Thank you, father." Itachi inclined his head gratefully.
"What's ANBU, Aniki?" Sasuke asked him, wonder alight in those obsidian orbs.
"You'll know when your older, Sasuke." Itachi ruffled his hair, drawing an indignant protest from his younger brother. The Uchiha family continued to eat in comfortable silence, broken from time to time by Mikoto asking Itachi about his work, or Sasuke about his time at the Shinobi-preschool. Sasuke would share about his latest escapades with his close friend and companion, Hatake Naruto. It brought warmth to Itachi that his brother was making friends and having fun, as a child should. His father remained expressionless throughout his younger son's story telling, something both the Uchiha brothers were very used to.
"Itachi, join me." As dinner wound down, the family having eaten their fill, Fugaku's tone brokered no dispute. Itachi rose from the dining table, telling Sasuke to run along, before following his father to his personal study.
"The Elders are displeased."
"They are often displeased."
"I share their displeasure."
Itachi froze at that. A worrying development.
"You are the youngest ANBU Captain in village history, surpassing the Hatake's record."
"An honor bestowed." Itachi replied.
"Elder Taro believes that the Hokage wishes you to remain out of the public spotlight, for you to serve in the shadows. ANBU do not receive public recognition."
"You think the Hokage meant this as a snub?" Itachi could not keep the disbelief from creeping to his voice.
"Why not promote you to Jōnin?"
"Father, I volunteered to join the ANBU!" Itachi raised his voice, a dangerous mistake.
"You question my judgement?" Fugaku's voice was frigid.
"No, father. My apologies." Itachi looked down, but could not push away the sinking feeling, a premonition of impending disaster, in his stomach.
"I believe Elder Taro is right. You have only grown more attached to the Hokage, to the Village. I fear that when the time comes, you would choose the village over your family." Fugaku's words were like a thunderflash in Itachi's mind. His thoughts raced, processing what his father had said.
'It cannot be. Are they planning treason?' Itachi steeled himself, composing his features to the flawless Uchiha facade that had been drilled into him since young.
"I should hope that I never have to choose, father." The question hung in the air between father and son, a tension that smothered.
"If I asked you to assasinate the Hokage, would you?"
The words were anathema to Itachi's very sense of purpose. The sudden surge of adrenaline triggered by his father's question almost caused him to activate his Sharingan on instinct. Itachi channeled every single ounce of his vaunted Uchiha discipline, willing his body language to not betray the horror that had shot through his very soul. He had to consider his next words with utmost care.
"Not without asking why, father." Itachi finally answered, barely succeeding at keeping his voice even.
"The Hyūga have surpassed us as the village's most influential clan. Those Byakūgan wielding upstarts throw their weight about the council meetings, and the civilians flock to them. Even the Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Nara clans grow in power while the Uchiha wane. If this continues, it will not be long before our clan is forgotten all together."
"We were the founding clan, and the Senju have gone to dust. Without us, this village would not have achieved its greatness. Was it not Madara who brought the other villages to heel? Was it not the Uchiha who ensured our village's supremacy? Tell me, Itachi, why should we consign ourselves to the history books to be reviled and hated? They speak of Madara, our greatest progenitor, as a traitor and a villain! They venerate the Senju, and this aging fool of a Hokage continues to push us further and further to the sidelines. I will not be the clan head who lead this clan to destruction!" Fugaku's rant came to a head, his mask cracking, and Itachi saw the desperation and zeal of a man convicted of his own doomed legacy.
"I must ponder upon your words, father. If you would excuse me." Itachi rose to his feet, and bowed deeply, before leaving the study.
There would be no pondering. Itachi knew what he had to do.
Sarutobi looked about the dimly lit laboratory, taking in his surroundings. It smelt of chemicals, and a peculiar ozone scent was particularly strong. Every once in awhile he would catch a scent of something decaying, and he could only wonder at what his student had done.
"Did Jiraiya fill your head with lies again, Sensei?" Orochimaru emerged from a connected room, sinuous and graceful.
"Orochimaru. We must speak."
"I have all the time in the world, Sensei." Orochimaru took a seat at the center of the room, placing his palms on the edges of the table. A single snake slithered out of his sleeve, coiling around his wrist and hissing softly.
"I have received some disturbing reports from trusted sources about your activities, Orochimaru."
"What about my.. activities? The experiments? Kukuku.. I've had little success, I must admit." Orochimaru chuckled, but a dangerous glint had entered his slitted eyes.
"You've been kidnapping orphans and conducting human experimentation on them, Orochimaru. You left the village repeatedly to establish a network of secret bases and laboratories, in violation of my direct orders. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"If those reports are true, you shouldn't have come alone, Sensei." Sarutobi tensed at the veiled threat, Jiraiya's warning blasting through his memory.
"Are they? Tell me the truth, Orochimaru. I have shown you more than enough grace."
"All I do, I do for the village, Sensei. The experiments were to create new weapons and techniques for our village to employ. The orphans had no future ahead of them anyway, homeless, hungry. I fed them, clothed them, and I put them out of their misery. I grow bored cooped up in this village, and do you have any proof that I was acting against the Village's interest?" Orochimaru's words were cloying, honeyed.
"This will be my last warning, Orochimaru. Stop this insanity before it grows any further. I have seen how far your curiosity can lead you, and I do not wish to put you down." Sarutobi's words were as hard as diamond.
"Kukuku.. so forceful Sensei. Very well, I suppose I will have to cease my activities. Tell Jiraiya-kun if he wants to kill me so badly, I can seek him out and settle this once and far all." Orochimaru snickered, and the snake on his wrist rose up, baring it's hood.
"See to it that you do, Orochimaru. My patience has run dry." Hiruzen left the way he came, leaving the chilling, gloomy laboratory behind. In the corner of the room, veiled by darkness, a shadow shifted.
"I do not appreiciate eavesdroppers." Orochimaru hissed, shifting his pale robe to reveal the hilt of Kusanagi. The tapping of a cane echoed off the walls of the quiet lab.
"I've come to make a proposition, Orochimaru."
A/N
Hold on to your horses, folks, the fuse is burning reaaaaalll low!
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I hope that I have brought some enjoyment to my readers so far. It's been encouraging to see the positive reception I've been getting!
Read and Review!