A couple days later, I woke up to the sound of something dropping onto the floor a distance away. It was light and sounded like a small stack of papers. Letting curiosity get the better of me, I swung out of bed, scanning the floor for what could have awoken me from my slumber. About ten feet from me was a small, square envelope lying on the ground by the front door.
Pattering over to it, I picked it up and was immediately surprised by its elegant look. Metallic black vines wrapped around the edge of the envelope and front flap, there they disappeared under a red wax seal that had a small symbol stamped into it. The symbol was familiar; I think I've seen it somewhere befo- oh! I remember! It's the one on the back of Sasuke's shirt, the red and white circle that had a thin line trailing from the bottom. I think Sakura once said it was his family crest.
Then the confusion set in; what do the Uchihas want with me? I frowned suspiciously and peeled up the wax seal, opening the envelope and pulling out a little white paper that also had gleaming black details along the edges. The paper, or card really, was written in beautiful calligraphy characters and only made me more curious about what it said.
Dear Diplomat Shiromori,
We hope you have enjoyed your first weeks in Konohagakure and are pleased with our village. We are very fortunate to have your great country as an ally. Seeing as your first month here has recently concluded, I would like to invite you into the Uchiha Clan compound and discuss your sentiments about our city. As you are aware, the Uchiha Clan has strong influence over the police force and would therefore be well-equip to address any concerns you might have as well.
We would be pleased to welcome you for lunch to discuss such topics. If you so desire, please be ready by 11:30 this afternoon, our son will escort you to our home.
With respect,
Uchiha Fugaku
Just as I finished the last line, something else was pushed through the door's mail slot and landed silently on the floor.
It was another little envelope but this one was long and narrow. I pried open the front flap and slipped out a rectangular piece of paper.
Mutsuko,
Allow me to begin by saying that this letter will burn itself once you have finished it, so I advise you pay close attention.
The Hokage is aware that the Uchihas have extended an invitation for you to meet with their clan head this afternoon. He asks that you accept. Although they had not requested permission for such a meeting, he believes it is best that you agree. He would like to assure you that you should not be worried about meeting with them, he would like me to say that they are a kind and respectable part of the village.
However, I cannot deliver that message in good conscience.
I must warn you to be cautious when you are in the Uchiha compound. Do not wander off in their territory, do not stay longer than necessary, and do not reveal any information that you find to be sensitive or confidential. I cannot explain any further due to my position, but I can assure you that your physical well-being is unlikely to be compromised, so you should feel free to accept whatever food they might offer.
Keep your guard up and do not tell anyone what I have said.
I frowned at the letter as its edges stated glowing red.
What in the world was that?
What was any of that supposed to mean? Are the Uchihas plotting some evil scheme? Why should I go? Why do I need to be careful? Are they going to try and get information from me? Why was I invited in the first place?
My hands dropped as the small embers reached the last remaining corner of the letter, erasing all evidence that it had ever existed. Even the envelope it came in had burned away.
Who wrote that letter? There was no name, it was simply signed "Your friend" at the bottom. Should I be trusting what they said? Could they have been lying?
I sighed loudly and dragged myself back to bed, plopping down and tossing the remaining letter on the table next to me. It was too early for all of this. I'll deal with it later. Right now I need a few more minutes of sleep.
As a result of my forced early risings on weekdays, my internal alarm pushed me into consciousness sooner than I would have liked. It was nine thirty, still a full two hours before my meeting with the Uchihas. I swung myself off the bed and quickly got dressed, picking out a nice purple blouse and thick leggings that I'd purchased for these colder types of days.
Stepping into the bathroom, I picked up my brush and absentmindedly started running it through my hair, the invitation stubbornly refusing to leave my mind.
Uchihas. What do they want with me? I wasn't so gullible as to believe any of them actually cared about how I was doing, especially since they hadn't gone to the Hokage first. I'd been here long enough to realize that most groups or officials that wanted to talk with me had to request the Hokage's permission first. Apparently that was part of the deal. It's a little odd really, how tight the security around me is. Since I first arrived, I'd repeatedly noticed I was being tailed: in the marketplace, during class, even when I was with my anbu friend. I was sure that they were all Konoha shinobi, more anbu members perhaps, and probably weren't there to harm me. They were more than likely just making sure I was ok, but it was still pretty unnerving.
I'm getting off topic. I need to figure out what the Uchihas are up to. What they're after. From what the second letter had said, it seemed like they want some sort of information, but what could I possibly know that they don't? The anbu guide once told me that Uchihas head the police force and had massive influence over the village, so surely they would be able to get whatever they needed through those connections, right?
I really couldn't think of anything I could offer that would be of use to them, so I decided to let it go for now. I'll just have to see what happens.
At exactly 11:30 AM, a knock came at my door. My nerves began flaring and I had to take a deep breath before opening the door.
"Hi S-" I paused, blinking at the man before me. "You're not Sasuke."
"So I've noticed." Itachi stated, his blank eyes boring into mine. "Father is expecting your arrival by noon." He moved to the side and I reluctantly stepped out of my apartment, closing the door behind me.
We made our way down the stairs and out the building, the uncomfortable silence growing by the minute.
"Sorry I almost called you Sasuke. I just thought the letter was referring to him, you know, since we're in the same class and all." I needed to lighten the atmosphere before I broke into a nervous sweat, even if it meant blurting the first thing that came to mind.
"I understand." He said shortly. Oh no. Had I offended him? I mentally slapped myself as my hope for getting on his good side shriveled deeper into its corner of oblivion.
But regardless, I had to open my big mouth one more time.
"He's really talented. I think he's at the top of the class in just about everything." Yea, good job Mutsuko. Just keep talking. It'll definitely make things better.
"He is very gifted." Itachi agreed, smiling slightly. "He's might be the most hardworking kid in our clan."
Wait a minute.
Did it actually work?
Did I really just start a conversation with this guy?
"Y-Yea! You know he really looks up to you, he talks about you a lot." I said with little thought. Maybe I can make a good impression if I keep up the conversation.
"Does he? Are you two close?" He asked. I sweat dropped.
"Well not really... I'm pretty sure he doesn't like me." I grinned sheepishly.
Itachi raised an eyebrow.
"And why is that?"
"Erm, I might have... injured him in our last class... but just a little!" I added quickly. I doubt he would be thrilled to hear it but that was probably what cemented Sasuke's dislike towards me.
"So it was you." He mused, nodding slowly. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to be upset. "I noticed he had a slight limp, of course he wouldn't tell me what happened but I had assumed it was from training." I stared at him cautiously.
"I thought you would be a little more... angry." I thought aloud.
"Training is training, everyone's going to get hurt at some point." He explained.
Bless this man and his forgiving heart.
"But he usually doesn't get many injuries from that class, I'm curious as to what kind of training you two were doing." He stated, eyes still trained ahead.
"Oh, we were practicing with swords, I accidentally hit his leg." I answered, casually throwing in the word 'accidentally.' Itachi nodded understandingly.
"That makes sense." He commented, more to himself that to me. "You must be quite skilled with a sword." Once again, I was surprised at where this conversation was going.
"I'm not too bad but there are plenty of people better than me." I grinned. "I'm trying to get better, I train as much as I can so I don't forget anything." He nodded, seeming genuinely interested in what I'd said.
"Samurai are not well understood among shinobi, I'm certain there are many misconceptions about them, but we do know that you are a very skilled group." I smiled at this; he's interesting.
"That's very nice of you but some of us are no good. Of course, those people usually don't finish their training so they never become actual samurai." I nodded thoughtfully.
"Your culture is quite fascinating, perhaps we can talk more at a later date." He stopped walking and I did too. Looking up, I was shocked to see an enormous arched entranceway framed by tall stone walls stretching farther than the eye could see. There were deep blue banners boasting the clan crest draped on either side of the archway, I almost expected to see a castle behind it.
Itachi took a few steps towards the entrance and waited for me to follow. It took a few more seconds for me to come to my senses and pull my eyes away from the impressive stone structure.
As we got closer, the details of the barrier really hit me. The arch must have been five times my height and the wall must face been ten. The gleaming clay tiles spread on the perch above the entrance were perfectly black and looked brand new. There were hand-sized square holes dotting the length of the wall, no doubt to be used by lookouts. Some of the bricks embedded in the surface even had tiny, intricate designs carved into their faces.
We passed through the enormous archway and I momentarily noticed the steel gates on either side before being completely stunned by what was in front of me.
The building complex must have stretched a mile in every direction. The traditional wooden houses reminded me of the ones back home, only these were larger and stood in massive numbers. I never would have imagined anything like this, no wonder the clan was so powerful.
From where I was by the entrance, I could see dozens upon dozens of people hurrying to their destinations, strolling around the streets, coming in and out of houses, and just standing around talking. It was almost like having a village within Konoha.
I had to shake myself out of my daze to notice Itachi was beckoning me into the compound. I hurried forward and we started towards the busy town center.
There was a large crowd of raven-haired people bustling around us and it would only take one wrong step to be swept away in the current. I had to stay right behind Itachi, half wanting to glue myself to his arm to keep from getting lost.
We weaved our way through the mass of people for much longer than I was comfortable with before finally coming to a less lively part of town. From there, it only took another minute of walking to reach what was unmistakably the main family's house.
A large traditional home much like the others here stood before me, the only difference being in the small details like the carved wooden pillars dotting the sides of the house and the clan symbols painted along the walls outside. It was a very beautiful house.
Itachi motioned for me to follow as he ascended the small steps and slid the door open.
"I'm home." He called, shutting the door behind me as I glanced around tentatively, suddenly on high alert. I wasn't sure what to expect, I wasn't sure if I should even be here at all. Just as I was beginning to fidget, a female voice sounded from somewhere inside the house.
"Welcome back." Light footsteps followed and my heartbeat skyrocketed.
A raven haired woman in a deep blue dress emerged from behind a door and smiled when she saw me.
"You must be Shiromori-san, we're so glad you could make it!" She greeted cheerfully.
"It's nice to meet you, Uchiha-san. Thank you for inviting me to your home." I bowed politely. She laughed lightheartedly and took my hands in hers.
"Please, call me Mikoto." She insisted. "Come, I'll show you to our living room." I followed obediently as she lead me and Itachi to a large room filled with cushions and tables. There were some very expensive looking paintings and vases in there too; I made a mental note not to touch anything.
"My husband will be down in just a minute. And lunch is almost ready, excuse me." She smiled once more before hurrying off, presumably to finish her cooking, which, by the way, smelled amazing.
I carefully chose a small cotton cushion and sat down, legs folded under me. I heard Itachi settling somewhere to my right but I was too preoccupied with staring at the floor. What was the Clan Head like? He sounded pretty dull from the letter but that was probably just because of formalities. But what if he's actually really strict? Is he looking for information like the other letter implied? Should I even trust that mystery person? I have no idea who wrote it so could they might not be trying to help me at all. But I don't have anything else to go off of, it's my only clue as to why I'm here. The Hokage did know about this, right? He'll explain everything, right?
"You seem nervous." My tumbleweed of worries was stopped in its tracks. I looked up with what must have been a frown of sorts.
"Is it obvious? Sorry, I just don't know what to expect." My hands began fidgeting in my lap as I tried to push away the stressful thoughts, eyes falling back towards the ground.
"Try to relax. Father can be intimidating but he's kind to guests." I nodded mechanically and the thundercloud of worries began forming once again.
'I'll be fine. I'll be fine. Just act normal. Everything's going to be just fine.' I tried to comfort myself with little success.
"Itachi!" Mikoto's voice called. The said boy stood up and nodded for me to do the same.
"Lunch is ready." He said, sliding the door open for me.
I followed him to a surprisingly simple dining room: just a low-set table and five cushions placed around it. There was a vase holding bright yellow flowers in one corner too, sitting on top of a small wooden table, but other than that it was bare.
Mikoto had set out plates of steaming hot food and our bowls were already arranged. She was bringing out the last dish when one of the doors slid open. My heart stopped when I saw a tall, stern-looking man walk in.
"Shiromori-san, it's good to finally meet you. My name is Uchiha Fugaku, I thank you for coming on such short notice." His voice held about as little emotion as humanly possible and my worst fears were confirmed: there was no way he would have invited me here without a motive. It was then that I stopped questioning the letter's legitimacy; he wants something and, chances are, that something is information.
"Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Uchiha-san. It is an honor." I bowed deeply, already on high guard for anything suspicious he might ask. "Please sit." He nodded as he took his own seat at one end of the table. Mikoto, Itachi, and Sasuke, who had appeared out of nowhere, took their seats on the long ends of the rectangle, leaving only the seat on the other end open. I sat down quickly and we said our thanks before starting to eat.
Throughout the whole meal, I did my best to avoid looking at Fugaku. Unless he was talking to me, my eyes were glued to my plate. Unfortunately, the monotonous Uchiha produced a steady stream of questions, none of which seemed to be of particular importance. "How are you adjusting to Konoha?" "How is your training coming along?" "How much of the city have you explored?" It was small talk and it made me question if I was just being paranoid.
A neatly set down my chopsticks when I finished my meal and continued to answer his questions. Apparently seeing that I was finished, the others, who had been silent the whole time, finished what was on their plates before setting down their chopsticks as well. I felt a little guilty; they must be pretty uncomfortable too.
"Well, it seems we're all finished." Fugaku said, standing up. The other three did the same and I quickly followed. "Let us continue to talk elsewhere." He glanced at Mikoto and she nodded, motioning for the brothers to leave as she began gathering the plates. Fugaku turned back to me and gestured for me to come with him.
When we came to the living room, I sat down on the same cushion as before. He took a seat about two feet in front of me.
"I'm surprised to hear that you are settling well in our city. I imagine such a drastic relocation must be difficult for someone as young as yourself." He said without a hint of concern in his voice.
"It was a big change, but I think Konoha is a very nice city to live in." I nodded with a small smile.
"Your country must be quite impressive in its own right. I hear the land itself is stained white from the snow." I laughed, though it was small and forced.
"Not exactly, but we never see the ground outside our village; the mountains are always covered in at least few feet of snow and ice."
"I find your country very fascinating, do tell more." He insisted. I knew exactly what I was going to say, I had said it so many times to so many people that I didn't even have to think before my mouth started moving.
"My village is relatively small, especially compared to Konoha, but we are strong and loyal. We all know our neighbors and the kinship among samurai is unbreakable." I started my little speech and smiled politely.
"Your village seems to be a very pleasant place. You must be particularly close with your family, then." He continued. I paused: not many people had asked me about my family, actually I think the only person who had was Naruto.
"I would say so. My adoptive parents are very protective of my brother and I." He raised an eyebrow.
"Adoptive?" He questioned.
"My biological parents died shortly after I was born, I was taken in by an older couple." I explained.
"I'm sorry for your loss." He said, but of course he didn't mean it. "How long have you trained to become a samurai?" He changed the subject obligingly.
"Six years. It varies depending on the person but six years is quite average." He seemed to be a little more interested now.
"I hear the samurai population is rising these days, would you say so?" Fugaku asked. I blinked in confusion; that was an odd question.
"I haven't noticed any significant changes... but it may be true." I offered. I really didn't know anything about a population growth, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention?
"I see. The Hokage mentioned you have a sword here in Konoha." He started, looking at me expectantly. So he's interested in our weaponry? Where is this going?
"Yes, my sword was delivered not long ago." I said, unsure of what he wanted to hear.
"The blacksmiths in your village are highly esteemed, yes?" Ok. I'm lost.
"The skilled ones." I confirmed.
"I see, I see..." He nodded, seemingly deep in thought. Suddenly, a loud bell chime echoed through the room. It sounded like it was coming from somewhere outside.
"Ah, it must be one o'clock already." He looked up at the ornate wooden clock mounted on the wall. "I have taken up much of your time. Thank you for your excellent company, I will call Itachi to take you back to your home." He stood up and slid open the door, waiting for me to follow. I gladly did so and he told me to wait while he disappeared around a corner.
Not a minute later, Itachi emerged from behind the same corner and nodded for me to come with him.
He led me to the front door and we slid on our shoes before stepping out of the house.
I let out a deep sigh the moment my foot touched the ground.
"Thank goodness." I breathed quietly. Finally, I'm away from that man's cold, cold stare. Even though I barely knew Itachi, he was a welcome companion after my hour-long interrogation.
"You seem relieved." He commented as we made our way towards the exit gate.
"He's so uncomfortable to talk to." I scoffed bluntly. "Honestly, compared to him you're a dream come true." I breathed in the afternoon air and sighed loudly.
"I'll take that as a compliment." He said flatly.
"You should." I chuckled. "Because it is." The corner of his mouth twitched up and I grinned triumphantly. Making him smile: check. Another step closer to making up for my terrible first impression. I frowned and shoved away the memory of my escape from Sakura that threatened to come to mind. "Anyways, sorry that you're stuck with bringing me home. I'll be fine so you can go." I could see the gate in the distance and I'd be able to find my way back from there.
"No." He stated flatly. I looked up at him questioningly.
"No?" I repeated.
"If something happens to you it will be on my watch." He explained without sparing me a glance. "That would lead to more trouble than its worth."
I was silent for a moment, still staring at him, before a wide smile crept across my face.
"You're starting to like me, aren't you?" I whispered suggestively. He turned to me with raised an eyebrow and I burst out laughing. "So you've forgiven me for using you as a distraction that one time?" I asked once I had gotten my giggles out.
"Is that what you were hoping for?" I nodded vigorously. "Then you are forgiven."
"Great!" I shouted victoriously.
At least one good thing came out of the most uncomfortable hour of my life.