There are some days that Fugaku wonders if he understands his clan at all. Every time he begins to feel optimistic about reconciliation with the village, he is forced to confront the intractability of his own family members, as they refuse to yield or compromise in pursuit of their goals. He has spent close to six days working with Shisui, whom he still has trouble thinking of as Hokage, as well as the commander of ANBU to work out the details of the Uchiha Police's expanded scope and jurisdiction sharing. And while there were times that it felt as if the details would never be worked out, especially when ANBU insisted the Police Cadets were less qualified to guard the village wall than the Genin that currently did, they had eventually come to a compromise that all parties could… tolerate. More than tolerate really. For the first time in weeks, Fugaku feels true optimism after an agreement with the village. The clan won't have to give up anything in exchange for increased jurisdiction and power. There are even provisions to allow active duty police officers to take paid missions without requiring a leave of absence from the police force. And more than that, the village will owe the clan for even agreeing to take this up. While Shisui has not said as much, Fugaku can tell how desperate he is for this agreement to work. He doesn't have enough ninja to manage the current mission load, let alone increase in missions summer inevitably brings.
However, after signing the new charter and sharing it with the clan leaders, things get… complicated. Mikoto is cautiously optimistic about the move. Hearing her approval, even as hesitant as it is, comforts Fugaku more than he can say. While she still holds numerous doubts, Fugaku can't say he doesn't share in many of them. After all, it does seem particularly unwise to have the Uchiha as the primary face of village law and order, especially considering the tensions between the civilian populace and the clan over the past several years. But without this first step, he fears that true reconciliation can never occur. And there is no one else who can smooth the way for them. While the clan would never have been granted this opportunity without the personnel shortages the village has suffered, that also means that there is no one else to help ease civilian fears. This is something the clan will have to do on their own. And after expressing her concerns, even Mikoto agrees that this is a necessary step their clan must overcome.
The council is another matter. They have seldom seen eye to eye on anything and they make their displeasure at their lack of involvement in these negotiations very clear. Within hours of hearing of the deal they request Fugaku attend them at his earliest possible convenience, or that evening, whichever occurs first. The message is delivered by a young courier, whom they have instructed to wait at his door for a reply, adding further insult through the insinuation that he cannot be trusted to respond in his own time.
Having dealt with their games for years and knowing that making them wait will only increase their ire, Fugaku yields to their petty power play and agrees to meet with them later that afternoon. With such a meeting hanging over his head, it is unlikely he would have managed to get much done anyway.
When he arrives at the clan meeting hall, the elders are already there, sitting at the front of the long room on the raised dais. There is a table in front of them and the whole room is lit by candles despite the bright daylight outside. This is not the underground meeting hall they have used in the past, however even here, the windows are shuttered and sealed to ensure anything said within these walls remains private, hidden even from the rest of the clan. There is no chair for him, another not so subtle attempt to show his relative place here. The elders themselves sit in a close-knit cluster, their eyes narrowed in disapproval even as he walks in and greets them.
The hall looks cavernous without the rest of the clan. Typically, these types of meetings would have many more present, and Fugaku wonders why they chose here instead of a smaller room for this discussion. Knowing the pettiness of some of them, it was probably a calculated move just to put him more on edge and emphasize his relative unimportance and lack of power. The efforts they were willing to go to just to feel powerful would have amused him, if he hadn't been the subject of their attentions.
"Why, Fugaku-san," asks the youngest of the five, Uchiha Setsu, "have you betrayed your clan, bartering away their lives and services for not even a pittance in return?" Her milky white eyes and bone white hair look soft in the flickering candle light, belying the harsh tone of her accusation.
Fugaku pauses at first, taken aback and not sure how to respond to the gross mischaracterization of what he has spent every waking hour for the past week negotiating. "Betrayal?" Despite his best efforts, he cannot keep his voice down, cannot keep the anger out of his tone. "Everything I have ever done has been on behalf of our clan. This deal," he holds the rolled scroll of the charter out and tosses it at the elders' feet, "is a chance for us to finally reconcile with the village. It expands the powers of the military police far beyond what they have ever been. This trust placed in us will finally allow us to prove our ourselves to the entire village. It will finally get ANBU out of our hair and will allow us to go on missions not simply as ninja of Leaf, but in our own name as well." He pauses for a breath. "For the first time since the founding of the village, our officers will be able to serve both as police as well as active duty ninja, accepting missions on behalf of the village-"
"Exactly," says Elder Setsu, "On behalf of the village. Any work we do for them is not for the glory of the Uchiha. It is not for the advancement of our people, of our kin. It is for the glory of the village that has scorned and betrayed us at every turn. We are no more than dogs to them, to be directed at a target and released. Given nothing more than a pat on the head in return." Slowly, she stands up, pushing the heavy wooden chair she had been seated on back in the process. "We are Uchiha," she says, clenching her fist over her heart. "We are the heart of flame, the will of fire. We are not some tamed beast that meekly accepts table scraps and considers them a meal. Perhaps you would do well to reflect on that, young man."
"As you say, Revered Elder," Fugaku bites out before nodding his head in the barest suggestion of a bow and turning stiffly to leave. It is clear there will be no more productive conversation today and though he would enjoy the chance to lash out, he knows it would be impolitic to agitate the elder council any more than he already has. He forces himself to swallow the words of protest that burn in his throat; there is nothing they can do at this point. In this matter at least, they are impotent. The new charter is already signed, and he doubts the Hokage would be willing to renegotiate, even if it was something he himself wished to do. And at least this meeting was short. It may have devolved into a shouting match in almost record time, but better that than a whole day of veiled insults and prolonged negotiations. Fugaku has never been good at concealing his feelings and while he doesn't doubt Elder Setsu will find some way to retaliate for his words, it feels good to have said them to her face for once.
He makes it almost to the door before he is called back to the front of the room. "Where are you going, Fugaku-san?" The deep voice is rough with age, but still carries across the large room. Fugaku finds himself turning back toward the speaker, Uchiha Hiroji. The man has not moved from his seat, though he leans forward slightly, his arms resting lightly on the table. He still wears the close-fitting clothes of a shinobi, although it has been decades since he last saw active duty, rather than the long robes favored by the rest of the council. Elder Hiroji has been an elder since before Fugaku can remember, though he doesn't look it. His body appears largely untouched by its age except in coloring. He is also one of the only people on the council that Fugaku truly respects. Unlike Setsu and some of the others, Hiroji remembers what it is like to lead on the battlefield. He is used to making impossible decisions and having to live with the results.
Fugaku bows, much more deeply this time, as he addresses the assembled elders again. "My apologies, Revered Elders. Was there something else you wished to discuss?" How he manages to keep his tone as level and courteous as he does, he doesn't know. Though it helps that he has addressed all his words in the direction of Elder Hiroji.
"As a matter of fact, there is," says Elder Setsu. Her voice is shrill and echoes slightly through the empty hall. "How closely have you been watching your family, Fugaku? We have heard disquieting rumors. How much do you trust the loyalty of those within your house?"
Fugaku blinks, stunned. He trusts Mikoto completely, and while he hasn't been with her at all times, at least recently, he knows she would never act against him. They confide everything in each other. In fact, that was one of the reasons he fell in love with and married her in the first place. As for his children, they are political nonentities. Sasuke is an academy student, too young to understand the concept of betrayal let alone act it out. And Itachi? He hasn't seen him in months. There is nothing more Itachi can do to hurt the clan. Not that he believes his son ever would hurt the clan. Itachi has always been a sensitive and gentle boy. It was always his greatest weakness as a child, and if Fugaku himself couldn't change that about him, he doubts anything else could either.
"I trust my clan and family absolutely, Revered Elder," Fugaku says at last. "I can think of nothing to substantiate any rumors you have heard and would question the validity of your sources. My family is, always has been, and always will be loyal to the Uchiha clan" And while it might be a little bit of a stretch, it is mostly true. He cannot conceive of a situation that would cause any member of the clan to betray them. As much as members of the clan irritate him at times, most of the worst offenders being in this very room right now, he does trust his clan, and he knows, deep in his heart, that he will always do whatever he must to protect them. Despite their differences in thought and opinion, they are a family in the truest sense of the word.
"What Setsu-san means to say," Elder Hiroji, says after several moments of tense silence, "is that we have some concerns about your son." His tone is even and conciliatory, clearly aware of the reaction his words will cause. But even so, that does nothing to calm Fugaku down.
He bristles, "My sons are absolutely loyal. I would stake my life on it." Fugaku is quickly losing what little patience he had for this discussion.
Elder Hiroji nods, "Of that we have no doubt, Fugaku. However, what concerns us is not their capacity for loyalty, but rather to whom they have given it." He pauses to look Fugaku in the eyes and his tone turns more pitying, "Sure you must know where we are going with this?"
But Fugaku doesn't. The words don't make sense. There is nowhere to go. No logical continuation to be made. His family is his life, and he loves them absolutely. While he has been distant at times and a demanding teacher and parent, he knows that they feel similarly about him, about the clan.
Elder Hiroji pauses again, this time considering, "Fugaku-san, we, the elder council, acting on concerns brought up by a number of clan members, are officially stating our belief that Uchiha Itachi is not fit to-"
"No!" Fugaku doesn't realize he has spoken until the words are already out of his mouth. "Itachi is fully capable, he is the most talented ninja born to us in generations. He-"
"Our concerns are not about his abil-"
"Know your place, boy! We gave you this position, against our better judgement! You are noth-" Elder Setsu's words cut out as abruptly as they began when Elder Kai clamps a restraining hand on her shoulder.
The hall is silent for several long moments before Elder Kai speaks. "We are not here to discuss Fugaku-san's fitness to lead, today. Let us return to the matter at hand." Her words are softly spoken, but effective at refocusing everyone's attention.
Fugaku takes several deep breaths and tries to order his thoughts. This is not at all what he had anticipated when he agreed to this meeting. "Itachi, my son, is under a lot of stress right now. However, I trust in his abilities and loyalties, and believe that should suffice. As clan leader, it is my job to choose a successor, and I have already chosen my son."
Elder Hiroji leans forward again, "As clan leader, it is your right to name your successor, so long as you are choosing from among eligible male heirs. However, our concerns are about Itachi-san's eligibility. Numerous concerns have been brought to our attention of late. Not the least of which being his continued avoidance of the clan compound in its entirety. We cannot have a clan head who is unwilling to associate with the clan he is to lead."
"Itachi is busy," Fugaku says. "And stressed, between his duties as an ANBU captain and his role as personal bodyguard and assistant to the Hokage, he doesn't have time to return home very often." However, even as Fugaku refutes the elders claims, he knows they are right. These are the very concerns he has voiced multiple times with Mikoto. Itachi is being forced to choose between his closest childhood friend and the rest of the clan, an impossible choice and Fugaku is not certain that he would be any different if Mikoto were the Hokage and he was forced into Itachi's position.
"Itachi-kun," Elder Setsu says snidely, "is a selfish child, too focused on his own desires to see the needs of the clan. Not that more could be expected of him, all things considered." Fugaku is only able to keep silent because he knows she is just trying to goad him into another reaction.
"Fugaku-san," continues Elder Hiroji, "As head of the Elder Council, I am asking you to speak with your son. He must choose between his duty as clan heir and his personal loyalty to Uchiha Shisui. We cannot afford a clan head who will sacrifice the good of the clan to please his friend. I know you wish to think the best of your children, and Itachi-san is indeed an incredible ninja with talent we have not seen in generations, but none of that will make up for the danger his split loyalties pose. I am afraid, that should you fail to resolve this in a timely manner, we will be forced to evaluate whether you yourself are still fit to lead. I have known you your entire life, and I have faith in your judgement, but this is about more than you and your family. Our entire clan could be at stake."
Fugaku cannot move, cannot think. It feels as if the entire floor has fallen out from beneath him. He does not know how he manages to get back home, but he knows it must have happened. For the first time, he is forced to confront how tenuous his grasp on the situation is. All of the optimism he felt at the beginning of the day is gone, replaced by a cold ball of dread. He can feel the strands of hope slipping through his fingers like eels. The harder he tries to grasp, the faster they slip away.
If he wants to continue to have any control over events, he will be forced to disinherit his own son, who has done nothing wrong, beyond earning the enmity and mistrust of the clan. He will be forced to act not for the good of the clan, but rather for what the clan believes to be good. And he will have to allow himself to become even more of a puppet for the elder council. Because if he doesn't then they will simply appoint someone else that will. Someone without the experience to negotiate with ANBU or the Hokage. Someone who is more concerned with power than with the wellbeing of the clan. Someone who after this is all over, will yield to their every whim. Someone like they would have liked to have appointed originally, if Mikoto had not spoken so eloquently on his behalf almost twenty years before.
And so Fugaku makes up his mind. He will become what he must for the continued wellbeing of the clan. As long as he remains clan head, he can work to guide events onto the path of least destruction. And while it may be a bitter pill to swallow, retaining some control in this situation is by far the better option, even if it means he must swallow his pride and act against his own beliefs.