Author's Note: Happy Halloween. Here's a chapter about Danzo! No warnings beyond Danzo being creepy.
The village looks peaceful in the early mornings. From the top of the Hokage tower, the mist covered streets make the buildings look like islands of color rising up out of a foamy sea. Everything is tinged in shades of blue and orange as the sun begins to make its way above the horizon.
He can just barely make out the forms of ANBU guards patrolling the walls, their uniforms blending into the deep shadows of the predawn light. Danzo smiles, ignoring how the humid air and morning chill make his joints ache. Years of hard service have left a toll on his body. But it is that dedication to duty that makes Konoha so strong. The people who will sacrifice everything for her greater good.
He finds his eyes drifting to the Uchiha compound, at the far edge of the village. The Uchiha are everything a ninja should be. Power. Strength. Ruthlessness. But it is coupled with everything a ninja cannot afford. Pride. Emotionality. Selfishness. Their proximity to greatness leaves him frustrated. Uchiha Itachi is a perfect example of everything the clan could be, if they would just let go of their weaknesses. A perfectly honed weapon that offers neither judgement nor opinion. But as it stands, he is a singular genius in a swamp of squandered potential.
The Uchiha act not as an asset to Konoha, lending their power to her security, but a parasite. They grow strong on the back of the village while waiting for the perfect time to destroy her from within. And Konoha does nothing to combat this. Even Shisui, for all his ruthless practicality, still bares the village's soft belly to them. Unwilling, or unable to see the threat they represent. Yes, the clan is powerful, but therein lies the problem. Power in the hands of a trusted comrade is a boon. But power in the hands of an enemy cannot be tolerated. Danzo loves his village, and the thought of neutralizing one of her founding clans brings him no joy. But he will do what he must to see her kept safe. Even from one of her own.
His dark thoughts are interrupted by the shriek of a messenger hawk winging its way to the top of the Hokage Tower. The pre-dawn light creates a halo of flame around the bird's body. A fitting image, Danzo reflects, for the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. The magnificent creature circles twice before dropping onto his outstretched arm.
He doesn't flinch at the sudden weight or sharp pain as talons tear through the thin material of his robe. The Daimyo's birds are fierce predators, much like the Land of Fire they call home. While they may be less efficient messengers than the smaller hawks favored by ninja, often the bird itself is part of the message. Like everything the Fire Daimyo does, this is meant as an overt show of power and wealth, a sentiment Danzo fully understands. There is no point in hidden power. Strength properly projected is a deterrent in and of itself. And a war won before it is even fought is a war won twice over.
Quickly, he removes the gold embossed scroll tube and launches the hawk back into the air. It circles him once before flying southwest, back to the capital. Danzo finds his mind drifting again and wonders how small the village must look from the air. All the petty squabbles and fighting masked by distance. How strange is it for the birds, he wonders, when they are forced to land and are confronted all at once with the ugliness of life up close?
But such idle speculation is ultimately pointless. While flights of fancy may offer the illusion of freedom, it is better, he thinks, to stay grounded in reality. Only fools and idealists let their minds linger too long on futile thoughts and dreams. Life is a constant struggle and those who cannot see it for what it is are doomed to short lives of insignificance and obscurity.
Even so, he finds himself reluctant to go back inside. Early mornings have a tranquility to them that he is loath to give up. As a compromise, he sits down, his back against the spires and carefully opens the Daimyo's scroll. The message is brief, almost to the point of bluntness.
Honorable Danzo,
We have considered your request at length. At this time, the Venerable Daimyo of the Land of Fire believes it unwise to diminish our military presence, both within the Land of Fire and abroad. However, we recognize the difficulty this causes for your Hokage and the burden this places on our people. For this reason, we will allow your request to transition from ad-hoc ninja teams to a single ninja envoy to be stationed within the capital city on a trial basis. This individual will be answerable only to the Daimyo.
Due to the conspicuous nature of this posting, the individual must be of good birth and good standing within the ninja ranks. They must have a pleasant demeanor and understand and abide by the rules of court. They must also take direction well and be visually inconspicuous.
We look forward to the success of this venture.
Lord Hiroyuki Kataka, Venerable Daimyo of the Land of Fire
(By hand of Adakono Tatsugara, First Imperial Aid)
That is… good. He hadn't honestly expected the Daimyo to refuse. Having the village more obviously in his debt is too tempting of a prize. Especially in exchange for so little overall. It shouldn't matter in the capital whether they have an ANBU team or a single operative carrying out assassinations or offering a show of force. However, knowing the man has accepted is relieving. With this, Konoha can finally focus her undivided attention on missions that bring in money and project Konoha's power abroad. She will no longer be beholden to a mercurial interest that siphons her strength at critical junctures. And equally good, he may finally have found a way to keep Uchiha Itachi out of the way for long enough to resolve the Uchiha problem once and for all.
While the Daimyo only represents one of many problems Danzo is currently juggling, he allows himself to relax and appreciate this moment for what it is. He looks out again over Konoha. The sun is still low on the horizon and the village is bathed in its golden glow. Except for the Uchiha compound, obscured by the shadow of the Hokage Monument. And isn't that a fitting, on many levels?
But he has work to do today and it is already becoming uncomfortably warm. With a tired sigh, he pushes himself back up and slowly makes his way inside. Most of the village is still asleep, but it's already late enough the Hokage should be in. While he has recently started delegating more of the menial tasks to others, Uchiha Shisui's need for perfectionism keeps him in the tower far longer than Hiruzen ever was.
With the tower all but deserted, the walk to the Hokage's office is surprisingly pleasant. Danzo avoids the tower as much as he feasibly can. While he has an office here, on one of the mid-levels, he doesn't like to use it. The Hokage Tower is usually a loud, chaotic place and it is hard to maintain good operational awareness and security under such conditions. It is also inconvenient. He spends most of his time assisting ANBU and working with Intel to assess, characterize, and respond to threats known and perceived. The fifteen minutes it takes to get from ANBU headquarters to the tower is usually a waste when he can just as easily work from within the ANBU headquarters.
Unfortunately, Shisui is not yet in, so Danzo is forced to leave a message with one of his administrative assistants asking for a meeting at the Hokage's earliest convenience. While somewhat annoying, a few hours make little difference in the larger order of things and Danzo will not begrudge the boy some sleep. He certainly needs more of it than he has been getting. Danzo is not inclined to care for individuals, but Uchiha Shisui is the first Hokage Danzo has met since Senju Tobirama who has been willing to do whatever it takes to protect Konoha.
With nothing else requiring his presence until early-afternoon, Danzo heads back to ANBU headquarters where he is immediately accosted by one of the many analysts.
"Danzo-sama," the young girl is out of breath and holding a number of haphazardly stacked file folders tightly against her chest. She bows quickly and says, "We just got a report back from Internal Reconnaissance and Village Security." She pauses for a second to catch her breath, "the chakra signature Ibex detected two nights ago is a match for the one Bear sensed in the forest last month. Furthermore," she looks through her file folders before handing Danzo a green one, "We were able to use the seals in the village walls to tentatively determine that the locus of the signature is near a temple on the Uchiha property." She opens the folder in Danzo's hand as she's speaking and turns to a rough aerial image of the Uchiha compound. It has several concentric circles depicting the level of certainty that the chakra signature originated within them. They all center around the Uchiha clan shrine, though there is only a 20% certainty within the building itself. The young analyst licks her lips before bowing again and saying, "I apologize, Danzo-sama, that we were unable to determine any more specifics. It is our division's recommendation that we station at least one sensor type on patrol in the vicinity of the Uchiha compound. We believe the source of the chakra signature is likely to return there and a sensor will be able to determine more about the chakra signature and more quickly than the sensing seals." She bows again and takes a step back.
Danzo nods. "I concur. I'll speak to Shikaku to see that it is done." It is suboptimal to have to rely on outsiders to assist in a task like this, but unavoidable. With ANBU no longer overseeing most matters of village security, working with the jonin corp is preferable to pulling anyone back from the field. He and Shikaku have a good enough working relationship that intelligence sharing shouldn't be a problem.
Making a mental note to see if the man is free to discuss the matter later this afternoon, Danzo dismisses the analyst and makes his way to his office. Despite the early hour, ANBU headquarters is a hive of activity. Very few field agents are currently in the village, however all of the analysts, trainers, medics and other support personnel remain. Danzo finds the quiet, almost silent rush of activity comforting. Everything is here for a purpose and no asset is wasted. This mentality is even reflected in the allocation of space.
Unlike in the Hokage Tower, his office here is small, barely large enough to fit his desk and a few shelves and file cabinets. Any visitors are forced to stand; there simply isn't enough room for anything else. Larger gatherings are held in briefing rooms for a reason. Despite that, what little there is room for is made well. His desk is solid wood with no creak or lean and the chair is comfortable without being sumptuous. ANBU has a fair budget, but doesn't believe in wasting money on unnecessary frivolities. They understand the importance of the collective over the individual. A lesson many of the clans have yet to learn.
His eyes slips to the green file folder. The Uchiha problem should have been resolved by now. If Hiruzen were still in charge it would have been. But then if things had gone to his plan, he would never have discovered just how exceptional Uchiha Shisui has turned out to be. Danzo makes it a rule not to regret. He makes the best decision he can in a given set of circumstances and lives with the outcome. However, he feels a small amount of satisfaction that that particular plan did not come to pass. While he still knows with a deep certainty that the Uchiha must be dealt with. More discretion may be needed in separating the wheat from the chaff.
And, unfortunately, Uchiha Shisui does not seem likely to be the one to do it. No matter how he pushes, the boy remains firm in his desire to reach a peaceful resolution with his uncle and clan. He is willfully blind to their malfeasance and has been unwilling to even consider any form of preemptive action. It is frustrating because in so many other ways, Uchiha Shisui is an ideal leader. He is young, powerful, crafty and seldom lets feelings or emotions cloud his judgement or control his actions.
The boy's obstinance in regards to his family is so complete, Danzo wonders if it is even his own, or if his attempts at reconciliation are for young Itachi's benefit. The Hokage's friendship with the boy has been a topic of concern for Danzo before. If nothing else, Itachi is a bad influence on Shisui, often moderating the Hokage's impulses and advocating unnecessary temperance. Whether the boy is aware of it or not, he has too much influence over the Hokage and his actions. That could be a serious liability once he inherits his clan. Although, it appears the influence goes both ways. Uchiha Itachi could instead become the instrument by which the Uchiha clan are finally brought to heel. Either way, he creates too much uncertainty to be allowed to remain in such close proximity to Shisui. Especially now, with tensions rising not only within the Uchiha clan, but within the entire village as well. They are getting to an inflection point and Danzo's blood sings in coiled anticipation.
Which reminds him, he hasn't had a chance to review the official contingency orders yet this year. Originally crafted by Tobirama, they detail the standard course of action should various disasters, natural or otherwise, occur. While there is little that changes from year to year, it falls on ANBU to ensure they are carried out properly and it is critical they be as accurate as possible. They also include a catalog of potential threats both within and without the village and with tensions running high, it is important that ANBU be prepared in case the worst should happen and a civil war breaks out.
While that eventuality is unlikely, a number of factors have changed this year that need to be accounted for. Not the least of which being the extreme shortage of ANBU on hand at any given time. The village will be forced to rely on the loyalty of the jonin and chunin troops should an insurrection break out, and asking ninja to potentially turn against clan brothers can be risky.
A cursory glance around the office though confirms he doesn't have a copy of the contingency orders on hand. Sighing, he prepares to summon a runner when he hears a polite knock on his office door and a young, probably genin, messenger comes in. He looks scared, bows once and hands Danzo an envelope. The Hokage's unbroken seal is clearly emblazoned across the back.
The boy doesn't bother waiting for a reply and bows once again before turning around and leaving. His footsteps break out into a run as soon as the door shuts behind him.
Unsurprisingly, the Hokage wants to meet with him to discuss the Daimyo's missive. He requests Danzo come to his office at his earliest convenience, preferably before lunch. As there is only about an hour left before noon, Danzo sighs. There really isn't enough time to start anything. He grabs the Daimyo's scroll as well as a list he has compiled of potential agents to send and starts his way over.
The walk is less pleasant in the scorching heat of the Konoha summer. The air is humid and thick and the streets are full of people and carts. By the time he makes it to the village center and the Hokage Tower he is almost grateful for at least the pretense of order in the chaos. Young messengers are running through the halls, avoiding each other only through superior reflexes and rudimentary chakra manipulation. Office personnel crowd the hallways with a few active duty ninja here to pick up pay slips, turn in mission reports or carry out other official business.
Which reminds him, while he's here he needs to speak to Shikaku about assigning a sensor type to wall duty, preferably one of his own, but he's willing to compromise. However, Shikaku can wait. He makes his way up to Shisui's office and thinks again of just how different the boy is from his two most recent predecessors. There are no personal effects cluttering the walls outside his office. The boy has no pretenses and doesn't claim to be anything other than the cold-blooded killer he is. That level of honesty and self-awareness is refreshing, and one of the new Hokage's more admirable traits.
There is a guard in front of Shisui's office and the door is closed, so Danzo looks around for a moment before sitting on the nearby bench. He isn't often forced to wait like this, but petty power games have become such a staple of his interactions with Uchiha Shisui that he has become more or less inured to them.
And speaking of the young Hokage, it sounds like he isn't having a very good time right now. Danzo isn't as skilled as others at recognizing voices through a wall, but he doesn't have to be. It sounds like Hyuuga Hiashi and Uchiha Shisui are having more of a controlled fight than a conversation. The two often butt heads, but the fact neither party activated the privacy seals is rather interesting. Perhaps this meeting was more spontaneous in nature.
"We will not tolerate any more concessions to the Uchiha," he seethes. Danzo can easily picture his righteous indignation. "The fact that you might even consider giving that clan land so close to the village center for a new compound is an insult to all of us who have actively worked with and supported the village without these preposterous demands. There is a balance in current clan allotments and-"
"Enough!" The Hokage sounds so tired, which can only be beneficial to Danzo. He is less likely to be critical of Danzo's own suggestions if Hiashi has already worn him down. "I don't know where you heard that, but it isn't true. None of it is." Technically, that is a lie. The Uchiha have demanded a better compound location, although the Hogake had never seriously considered it. Danzo, however, had some of his operatives leaking that along with a few of the other, juicer demands the Uchiha had made. The village deserves to know, after all. And if Shisui cannot see the political inviability of appeasement, then Danzo will show him.
"I would never evict people just to appease a single family and no clan would ask for it. Frankly, I'm disappointed you have so little faith in not just me, but your fellow clans. We need to cooperate if we want Konoha to thrive. Uchiha and Hyuuga. Nara and Inuzuka. None of us can survive if we are biting at eachothers' throats." It's a nice sentiment, but unlikely to appease the Hyuuga. Though Shisui likely knows that as well.
And as if on cue, Hiashi snorts and says, "A nice sentiment, Uchiha, but foolishly naive. I believe you are trying your best, which is more than we expected from an Uchiha Hokage, but know that we are watching you. Any more favoritism directed toward the Uchiha clan will not be tolerated. We said nothing when you expanded the military police and gave them jurisdiction over the entire village, but it is not fair concentrating so much power and prestige in one family. Especially considering how little acknowledgment equally important clans are given for their own contributions to village security. We would like to work with you, as allies. However we will do what we must to protect Konoha from anyone who would compromise her safety."
Shisui does not have a chance to respond, as seconds later, Hiashi sweeps out of the room. Taking that as a signal to enter, Danzo walks in. "You wished to see me Hokage-sama?"
Shisui nods briefly and gestures to the chair. It still has faint impressions of fingers embedded in the leather armrests. "I got your message. You said the Daimyo is willing to consider some sort of alternative arrangement?"
He trails off and Danzo says, "Yes, I wrote to him some weeks ago, a copy of the letter should have been sent to you as well, offering to have a fulltime envoy at the palace to take care of any matters of national importance and offer the Daimyo increased security in these dangerous times. This would, naturally, replace the current arrangement wherein the Daimyo sends you mission requests whenever something comes up. By having an agent within the palace, the lead time would decrease. And for us, naturally, it would free up more ANBU teams, either to increase village security or to take on higher profile, paying missions."
Shisui nods again, "I had gathered as much. Your letter indicated that you wanted these operatives in the capital for a period of six months?" At Danzo's acknowledgement, he continues, "I don't see that part working. Long term missions tend not to last longer than three months, and even that is often a stretch on the psychiatric wellbeing of the operatives involved. I think we would have to have them swap out after six weeks, maximum. That would also allow us to keep a closer eye on what the Daimyo is doing. It sounds as if anyone placed within the palace would be cut off from the village for the duration of their service."
Six weeks makes sense from that point of view, even if it is less ideal for Danzo's other plans. However, that is a small price to pay for the Hokage's support. "I can see the merits to your idea," he allows, "the continuity of service will be harder to provide, but you are right, the wellbeing of our ninja as well as the additional intelligence such a change would offer seem to more than balance out any inconvenience."
"That was rather what I had been thinking. I suppose the only question now is who. I assume you have a list for me?" His face is impassive as he watches Danzo take the scroll out of his sash.
"There are not that many operatives we have that fit the Daimyo's stated requirements," he says as he hands it over, "However I have done my best to gather a list of those most likely to succeed. I have ranked them by preference."
The Hokage takes the scroll and skims it silently. "There are less than ten names on here," he says after a moment. "We have hundreds of active duty ninja."
"That is true, however this is a longer term posting. I only included those who don't currently operate as part of a team. We cannot afford to lose productivity by breaking up established units. Furthermore, I had to rule out individuals not raised as part of one of the more respected clans. Since only jonin or ANBU can be considered, that leaves very few individuals."
Shisui sighs and presses his lips together. "Kakashi then. He's the only one on this list that can feasibly be spared and who I would trust to both complete the job and collect any sort of viable intel."
Danzo shakes his head, "As capable as young Hatake is, I think you are missing the more obvious choice. You must also consider personality. Hatake is a very skilled ninja, but his peculiarities make him a less ideal choice. I doubt the Daimyo would have much patience for his particular brand of… humor."
"I need Itachi with me, he is a skilled bodyguard and-"
"You have other guards. His role is more ceremonial than anything else at this point."
"-He helps with paperwork and keeping me on time. He's practically my assistant."
"Of which you have many others to choose from. But you know that already. These are excuses to shelter him and keep him by your side. So you do not feel selfish for putting your own desires ahead of the village. The question is, are you willing to jeopardize this opportunity just to keep your friend by your side for six weeks?" Danzo pauses for effect, but he knows he has won. "While I cannot overrule your decision, I cannot say you are the man I thought you to be, if you would put such concerns over the wellbeing and lives of so many in this village."
When Uchiha Shisui finally looks over at him, his shoulders are hunched and his jaw is tense. "Damn you," he whispers, furious. "Damn you to all the hells and back." Danzo says nothing, recognizing it as the concession it is before bowing and taking his leave.