1. Everyone
Sharp brown eyes roved over the handwritten note once more, something very much like fury lurking behind the Henge. The object in question did not seem to warrant such emotion however, rather it appeared at first glance to be beneficial to the reader. It was rather short, hardly four penned sentences in artful penmanship, but written on cheap paper, the kind available in every town shop.
It really didn't look particularly threatening and it said a lot about the amount of respect the shinobi had for their Hokage that they did not immediately dismiss her as insane.
"Is that a mission report, Hokage sama?" Raidou asked politely and Genma laughed around the ever-present senbon.
"I wish. Iruka san will have our heads if anyone dares to submit one that short."
"Maa, speak for yourself, Genma." Kakashi said lazily, lurid orange visible in his hand. "Iruka chan accepts my mission reports."
Tenzo snorted. "That's because you send them through Naruto, sempai. Umino san can't get angry at him."
Kakashi waved off the rebuke. "Don't knock it till you've tried it, kouhai."
Tsunade's eye twitched and the next minute, the desk was hitting the wall behind the four men with a roar. "PAY ATTENTION!"
In a flash the orange book was hidden and the four shinobi straightened up, looking sufficiently chastised.
Tsunade's voice softened. "I received this message four days before Pein invaded."
She laid the paper flat on the chair, momentarily mourning the unsatisfactory carpentry of her latest desk, and read out loud.
"I have learnt of the plan to invade Konoha by the leader of the Akatsuki, Pein. He carries the mythical doujutsu, the Rinnegan and plans to arrive on 14th April, 79 years after Konoha. I intend to send this missive in duplicate, one through the means I have been told to use and the other through my summons. Should you not receive the first, assume that Shimura Danzo is planning against Konoha."
There was a brief silence.
"Is it legit?" Kakashi asked.
"It carries proof that is known only to undercover Konoha nin."
"And Danzo?" Raidou asked sharply.
"Currently in custody. Inoichi is going through his mind."
"So you want us to find who this is?" Genma asked frowning. "Isn't that risky? We'll possibly be compromising their position, especially if it's long term infiltration."
"I'm almost certain of who this is." Tsunade said, rubbing a finger over her temples to stave off the migraine. "I'm hoping you'll tell me I'm wrong."
"Which summons were used, Hokage sama?" Tenzo asked.
Tsunade ignore his question, turning to Kakashi instead. "Your ANBU teammates were Genma, Tenzo, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, correct?"
Kakashi's expression blanked at the reminder of their last two teammates. "Yes Hokage sama."
"Shisui was killed in the Massacre, I'm assuming?"
"Ah, no, actually, Hokage sama." Raidou said uncomfortably as Genma's expression twisted in pain. "He committed suicide a few days before the... the Massacre."
Tsunade looked intrigued. "His body was recovered?"
"No." Kakashi cut in, sharply. "He threw himself off the cliff into the Naka River in front of Itachi." Nearly inaudibly, he continued, "There was no way Itachi would have killed Shisui."
"So his death was only confirmed by Itachi?" Tsunade pressed, though she looked apologetic at her insistence.
"No, Hokage sama, Inoichi san confirmed that Itachi saw it happen. Itachi... Itachi wouldn't have left if he wasn't sure there was anything else to be done." Genma said bitterly.
"It was believed that his death was one of the reasons behind Itachi's actions." Raidou said thoughtfully. "That somehow the pressure of the clan had got to Shisui and Itachi was taking revenge for him."
Kakashi snorted, Genma barked out a short laugh and even Tenzo looked mutinous. Tsunade eyed them carefully. "I'm guessing you don't agree with that then."
Their response was interrupted by the sudden thud of the door as it flew open. In an instant all four shinobi had their weapons out, muscles coiled as they turned to the threat only to stop short in confusion.
A disheveled Yamanaka Inoichi stood in front of them, a grey tinge colouring his complexion and his long blonde hair in a disarray. What was most alarming was the sheer fury in his pupil less eyes and the ridiculous amount of Killing Intent he was releasing.
"Inoichi?" The Hokage questioned warily.
He was nearly apoplectic with rage but at the sight before him, he visibly forced himself to calm down. When he spoke, his voice held the faintest hint of a tremble, though his face had blanked.
"Hokage sama, the prisoner was found to have implanted ten Sharingan into his arm as well as the Shodaime's DNA. His supposedly 'missing' eye," he continued darkly, "was another Sharingan confirmed to be belonging to Uchiha Shisui and stolen while the boy was still alive."
If Tsunade hadn't been one of the most powerful shinobi in the Elemental Nations, she would have collapsed under the sheer hatred that was emanating from Uchiha's former teammates. As it was she staggered slightly and Namiashi fell to his knees, heaving.
"Stop it, brats!" She barked. "If you can't control yourself, I'll send you out!"
Strictly speaking, she ought to be sending them out anyway. This was important intelligence and not the sort of information that was spread willy-nilly but if it led to the same conclusion as she had reached, then these men certainly deserved to know it.
"Did you find out if the boy is actually dead?" She asked bluntly.
Inoichi sighed sadly. "He is, Hokage sama. Danzo's men found his body a few hours after Itachi reported it. They were..." He looked disgusted. "They were looking for his other eye."
There were several intakes of breath.
"You thought Shisui was the spy." Kakashi said quietly. "That's why you called us. To see if he had left any indication of his survival with his friends."
"IhopedShisui was the spy." Tsunade replied, shaking her head before reaching for a bottle. God knows she needed it. "Because the alternative is much worse." She turned to the Interrogation specialist. "Continue, Inoichi. Leave the report on ROOT for later. Tell the rest."
If possible, Inoichi looked even more horrified. His mouth opened and closed as if he wasn't even sure of how to break the news. "The... The Massacre. The Uchiha Massacre. It was orchestrated entirely by Danzo and later approved by Sandaime." He couldn't bear to add the honorific to the title. "Itachi kun was ordered to kill every member of the clan in order to stop a coup de etat they were planning." He swallowed once more. "In exchange for Sasuke kun's life."
Unlike the last reveal, there were no explosive responses. Tenzo's blank facade had shattered and Genma's senbon needle was lying slack in his mouth. Raidou looked like he had been slapped and Kakashi...
Well, Tsunade was suddenly reminded that the Hatake was the strongest offensive shinobi in the village and the one most likely to succeed her.
When he spoke, gone was the apathetic drawl and the lazy slouch. He spoke slowly and with a depth of feeling in each word. "Hokage sama, what were the summons that brought the message to you?"
"Crows. Itachi's crows."
"Like hell I'm letting you get my brother back without me!"
Kakashi looked up from where he was fastening his tanto to his back. He had never heard Sasuke show this much emotion and if not for the circumstances, he would have taken great pleasure in teasing his student.
"You are a Genin. You're not cleared for B rank missions. Hokage's orders."
He knew immediately that it was the wrong thing to say when the swirling crimson eyes appeared in the Uchiha's face. "The Hokage's orders are what caused this situation." He hesitated. "It-Itachi is clan business either way and the least thisvillagecan do is let me bring him back!"
"Sasuke..." Kakashi began but the furious boy interrupted him.
"This is grounds for dissolving the Uchiha clan's contract with Konoha." He said with a deadly glare. "I can leave the village and you can't even declare me a missing nin. And guess what, if Itachi- ifNii sanactually ki-killed them all to save me, then there is no way he'll come back to the village if I'm not there." He blinked sharply against the few tears that escaped his eyes.
"Kakashi..." Genma began but Tsunade spoke louder.
"Take the brat. He deserves it and more importantly, he is right. It's the least the village owes the Uchiha."
Kakashi bowed his head. "As you wish, Hokage sama."
They reached Tanzaku Gai within four days of travel. Their latest intelligence had suggested that it was where Itachi and his Akatsuki partner, Kisame were headed and the Konoha nin hoped to catch them there before they left.
"And remember", Kakashi said when Tenzo caught the familiar fire-water-wind of Itachi's chakra and what could only be described as a Tailless Tailed Beast that was Kisame's chakra. "Our orders are to give the pardon and attempt to bring Itachi back to Konoha. No lethal attacks against Itachi but Kisame is fair game." He turned to the Genin, "Sasuke, you have to attempt to get his attention. He won't hurt you, so you will carry the pardon. Clear?"
He received three acquiesces.
"Then go."
As if on command, Itachi stepped right into the clearing and Sasuke's breath caught in his throat. He looked bad, the bags under his eyes deeper than they had ever been. The cloak covered most of his body but the hollow cheeks showed just how much weight he had lost. Curiously, one arm was under the cloak, only the hand hanging out the front but Sasuke didn't have the time to contemplate its reason before the clearing exploded into flame from Kakashi's jutsu.
The two men dodged agilely, falling into ready stances. "Well, well, well! And which village are you from? Konoha or Kiri? Or are you just bounty hunters?" The blue skinned man called out with a smirk. He hefted the enormous sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Kakashi sensei, who had his own weapon out.
"Kakashi san." Itachi said softly and Sasuke felt something unravel in his stomach because he sounded exactly the same as he had all those years ago. "I see Konoha has decided to make a move."
Kisame Hoshigaki looked intrigued. "Copy-Nin Kakashi? You'll be an interesting opponent."
Unsurprisingly, Kakashi sensei's shoulders relaxed. "Maa Itachi kun, Konoha decided to make a rather different move, I think you'll find. We decide to do a little weeding when we found so many roots."
Itachi's expression did not change but Sasuke caught the slightest widening of his dark eyes. "I see." He said quietly before hesitating. "And what of the gardner?"
"Dead." Came the voice from above and Genma dropped from the trees in front of Kisame. "Executed. In front of the village. Your brother was delighted."
Itachi inhaled sharply.
That was Sasuke's cue. All he had to do was jump down and show the pardon but he was frozen. His arms were trembling and his legs felt numb. He could barely breathe even as Kakashi and Genma eyed his hiding spot, waiting for him. He couldn't move his body properly until he almost fell out of the tree and with an almighty thump he found himself on the ground in front of Itachi.
He extended the scroll blindly and opened his mouth to state the pardon but the only thing that managed to come out was a tiny, "Nii san?"
Itachi flinched as if he had been struck, face going ash grey in a matter of seconds as he stumbled away from the Konoha nin.
Sasuke had never seen his brother look so ungraceful.
"You called me-" He cut himself off sharply. "You know." His voice was hoarse and broken. It hurt Sasuke's ears. "You... know about the coup."
Sasuke nodded wordlessly.
"So do you all."
"We do." Tenzo said, from his vantage point. Genma gave an apologetic smile and Kakashi just shrugged his shoulders.
"If you're talking about how you clearly are still loyal to Konoha then yes, it was fairly obvious." Kisame added too, surprising them all.
"What do you want from me?" Itachi said, forcing his voice to remain calm, over the roaring in his years.
"It's a pardon." Tenzo said, quietly. "From Godaime sama. You can join the village again, they have been told the truth as well. You can even bear the hitai-ate again, though I doubt you want that."
"I'm a sensor." He replied to the quizzical look. "I know what you felt when you were in ANBU."
Slowly, ever so slowly, Itachi walked towards Sasuke and took the scroll from his hand. Their fingers brushed and Sasuke had to fight to not flinch away from the touch. Itachi broke the seal and read through its contents once, twice, three times before closing it with a quiet sound that might have been a sob and turned to Kisame.
"Please... Please tender my resignation from the Akatsuki to Leader san. Effective immediately."
Kisame grinned widely, bloodthirsty and sharp. "It will be... interesting." He sheathed his sword with a disappointed sigh. "And Samehada didn't even get a taste. Pity. I'll have to change that next time, Konoha nin." And in a blur of blue, he was gone.
"Nii san." Sasuke said, tasting the word he had all but forced himself to forget. "Nii san, let's go home."
When Itachi turned to him, there were tears falling down his sallow cheeks as he took in the sight of his baby brother almost fully grown. He raised a trembling hand and poked Sasuke's forehead.
"Yes." He said, and if his voice broke on the word, it was because it sounded like the happy ending he had never expected to have.
"Let's go home, Otouto."
AN- I hope you enjoyed this story cuz I had a lot of fun writing it. Don't forget to leave favourites and reviews because they are the best things ever to read. I have other Naruto fix its if you are interested so check those out. Also lemme know if you wanna see more scenes in this AU, stuff like Danzo's execution, or other people's reactions. Thank you for all the support and I hope youEnjoy!~Teaspoon