Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Chouza Akimichi, Tsume Inuzuka, Hiashi Hyuuga, Shibi Aburame and Fugaku Uchiha gather in The Hokage's office to await Danzo, who Lord Third has summoned. Lord Third sits quietly behind his desk, hokage robes hiding his battle gear. They are all expecting severe resistance, except for Tsume, who takes all resistance in her stride and crushes it with as much energy as breaking a toothpick. Hiruzen briefly entertains the idea of setting Tsume loose on Danzo. However, Hiruzen is unsure if Danzo wouldn't know what hit him or if Tsume would finally lose a fight. Either way, it is not worth the risk.

Finally, Danzo glides into the hokage's office with Homura and Koharu in tow. If Danzo thinks having them along will affect the outcome of this meeting, he is far, far wrong, Hiruzen thinks grimly.

"What is the meaning of this, Hiruzen?" demands Homura. "Why were we not invited to this meeting?"

"This is not a meeting;" says Hiruzen. "This is an inquisition." He turns his gaze onto Danzo. "Danzo, it has come to my attention that some of your recent actions are in violation of Leaf Shinobi conduct laws. One in particular can only be read as not only the breach of an ancient treaty, but also as treason."

"What are you accusing me of?" demands Danzo. "You had better have proof."

"Shikaku, would you present the evidence to all assembled?"

Shikaku takes out the envelope Mei Terumi gave to Iruka and pulls out the first article. "Here is a letter, from Danzo, addressed to a Mist Jounin by the name of Mei Terumi demanding she meet him on the 19th of November at specific coordinates along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water." He places the letter on Hiruzen's desk and pulls out the next item. "Here is a photograph of that meeting, taken by an unknown party," he continues, showing the photograph to all assembled. Placing it on top of the letter, Shikaku then takes out the next item. "Here is a photograph of Iruka Umino, the last known survivor of clan Umino of the Hidden Whirlpool." he shows that photograph to the assembled and places it with the other items. Then Shikaku takes out the next item. "Here is a contract for the assassination of Iruka Umino, to be carried out by Mei Terumi for a fee of XXXXXX yen, half paid in advance and the other half to be paid upon success or death to be met upon failure."

Hiruzen gazes around the room to see the clan heads' reactions. Inoichi and Chouza are visibly shocked while Hiashi looks displeased, Shibi is silent and Fugaku just glares kunai at Danzo. Tsume is seething and looks like she is one second away from snapping Danzo in half. Oddly, Homura and Koharu do not even look surprised. Danzo is showing no visible signs of reaction.

"Where did you get this pack of lies?" demands Koharu. "To accuse Danzo of treason is ridiculous!"

"I might discount this as untrue if Iruka wasn't currently in the hospital after Mei Terumi attacked and tried to kill him!" snaps Shikaku. "Now wait until I have shown you everything and told you all what happened." he pulls out the final document. "This is a contract between the mercenary ninjas Wind and Rain and the Mist jounin Mei Terumi. This agreement outlines a plan to protect Iruka Umino and make it appear as if Wind and Rain's appearance was merely coincidence. The payment for their services is the advance fee Danzo gave Mei Terumi." Shikaku passes the document around the room. "As you can see, Terumi hired Wind and Rain to protect a leaf shinobi she only knows from their encounters on the battlefield. Why she would do this is still a mystery, as are the true identities of Wind and Rain. However, the biggest mystery surrounding this affair is why Danzo Shimura, an elder and trusted member of the Konoha council would arrange the assassination of a fifteen year old Leaf genin."

"Danzo, you piece of s###!" growls Tsume. "You better explain yourself RIGHT NOW!"

"Yes, do," says Hiruzen. "You had better have a good explanation for this."

Danzo shifts his weight uncomfortably. Then he says, "This information came from an unknown source. How do you know you can trust it?"

"Lord Hokage?" says Shikaku. "If you do not mind I will now tell everyone the details of my team's last mission."

"Go ahead," says The Third.

Shikaku tells the assembled about the mission to get rid of a group of bandits that turned into a fight for their lives against a young Mist jounin who claimed to have left a present for him on Iruka somewhere. He then tells of how the Mist ninjas still fought to kill until two unidentifiable shinobi claiming the names Wind and Rain arrived and forced the Mist ninjas to retreat. Shikaku then tells of finding the envelope hidden in Iruka's clothing and of how only Iruka could open it.

The clan heads all look either angry or horrified by the tale. Fugaku glares at Danzo so hard that Hiruzen says, "Go ahead Fugaku - no one will stop you."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," says Fugaku, then punches Danzo in the jaw, sending him flying across the room. Fugaku stands over Danzo and grinds out angrily, "Was picking on my clan getting too boring for you? Thought a kid would be more of a challenge?"

Danzo rises and, glaring furiously at Fugaku, he wipes blood from his mouth and says, "I am well within my rights to spy on your clan - you lot are plotting a coup d'etat!"

Fugaku is too busy seething to respond immediately.

"Is that true, Fugaku?" asks Hiashi sternly.

"It might have been true," says Fugaku. "If your daughter and Naruto hadn't pulled that prank on us the other day. It was exactly what I needed to convince the clan not to stage a coup. In fact, I expressly forbid anyone in the clan from doing so." Then Fugaku adds, "But know this Danzo, it was your actions that almost drove my clan to rebel."

Danzo glares at Fugaku. "You are lucky you were allowed to do that, Uchiha!"

"Enough of this!" snaps Chouza, surprising everyone with the amount of venom in his voice. "Danzo, did you or did you not order the assassination of the Umino boy?"

"I did!" admits Danzo.

"Why?" demands Hiruzen.

"Umino should not have control over the jinchuuriki!" explains Danzo, trying to sound reasonable. "It is irresponsible of you to trust the education of the village's most powerful weapon to an inexperienced genin. You did not listen to me, so I arranged a little accident to get rid of Umino so that I could take Naruto into my custody. I would have trained him to be an effective weapon for the village."

Hiashi Hyuuga slams his fist down on the wall nearest him. "You stay away from that boy! Naruto Uzumaki is not a weapon to be molded into a mindless soldier!"

"If he is not meant to be a weapon," asks Danzo. "Then why did the Fourth seal the Nine Tails into him?"

"Minato sealed the fox into Naruto to protect us," repiles Hiruzen. "And because it was the only way to stop the fox from killing Naruto. Naruto was not made a jinchuuriki to be a weapon but to protect everyone who would have died had the fox not been sealed."

"Besides," adds Inoichi so calmly one would almost be fooled into thinking he was talking about the weather. "In the Hidden Whirlpool there was a tradition where the young people of the Umino clan would teach the children of the Uzumaki clan the art of fuuinjutsu. Iruka Umino is well within his traditional rights to raise Naruto Uzumaki."

"Fools!" snaps Danzo. "You cannot entrust a jinchuuriki to a mere child, even if it is custom! What you are all too stubborn to see is that by not letting me have the jinchuuriki you are ensuring the Leaf will lose its standing as the strongest shinobi village!"

"Bitch please," says Fugaku. "We will stay the strongest because of my mustache!"

Hiashi covers his mouth and makes a sound rather like choking. When he removes his hand, there are still traces of a smile around his lips.

"Besides," continues Fugaku flippantly. "Our village was the strongest before we got the fox. Sharingan and Byakugan remember? Plus we have the InoShikaCho tradition and what's left of the Senju bloodline. And don't even get me started on how the Inuzukas and Aburames can scare off their opponents without even putting much effort into it. We'll be fine."

"Danzo," says Hiruzen. "It seems the charges against you are true. You have committed treason against the Hidden Leaf. You have violated the treaty between the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Whirlpool. You have also defied the orders of Minato Namekaze, Fourth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaf regarding the jinchuuriki naruto Uzumaki. For the first two offences the penalty is death." Hiruzen rises. "Therefore, you must be executed, Danzo Shimura. Are you going to resist?"

"No," says Danzo, surprising everyone. "If you feel that you must execute me, then do so and get it over with. I have always done what I thought best for the village, Hiruzen, and I know you do what you think is best. I only hope that you do not end up destroying what we worked so hard for."

"Very well," says Hiruzen. "As Hokage I have found you guilty of treason. As the law states I now invoke the right to execute you without trial." Immensely saddened by what he now must do, Hiruzen draws his sword and prepares to kill his once best friend.