Chapter Two: Sign of Hope
Note: Danzo is an easy yet hard character to write. He seems like the type who is very cold and harsh, but also at the same time very manipulating. And well, in order to manipulate someone, you have to let them trust you or believe you, right? Which means at the same time, they are deceptive and say what people want to hear. That part, the manipulation part is sort of hard to write, but I hope you like how I started and continue to portray Danzo.
By the way, just to make things clear, in this chapter, Haruto is four, while Yuuto is two years old. Yuuto is also the same age as the Rookie 9 (Naruto and the others). Which means currently, It's been two years, soon to be three years after the kyuubi attack.
Warnings: AU. OOC.
From that very day, Haruto had vowed that he would work to fulfill Danzo-sama's dream, no matter what he had to endure. He would do whatever he would have to do, all in order to protect his younger brother – Yuuto, and to pay back Danzo-sama for taking them in. No matter how much pain he would be in, no matter how much blood he would have to shed, Haruto would forever serve Danzo-sama faithfully.
At least, that was what Haruto had thought, until he met Uchiha Toshio.
Haruto had thought that Danzo-sama was the exception in this bloody and harsh world, that Danzo-sama was the only one, who didn't mind that he and Yuuto were kekkei genkai users. After all, Haruto could still remember clearly that very day, when he and his younger brother's life became hell.
But Haruto was wrong.
Danzo-sama wasn't the only one.
Uchiha Toshio, Haruto's roommate in the ROOT headquarters, knew that Haruto was a kekkei genkai user yet wanted to become friends with him. Haruto had already long learnt from Danzo-sama that he had not one, but actually two kekkei genkais – the hyoton and mokuton. But even so, Toshio approached him, smiled at him, and held out his hand for him. Haruto felt nothing but thankfulness for having Toshio with him as a Root trainee.
Though Root training was extremely harsh, and Haruto found himself collapsing on the ground exhausted way too often, the fact that Toshio was with him made everything better. Toshio would cheer him up, tell him stories about the Uchiha and his family, and laugh and make jokes. Through Toshio, Haruto learned to not hate his kekkei genkais, but rather to embrace and use it to help him survive in Root, like how Toshio did with the sharingan he awakened as someone from the Uchiha clan. The only time Haruto could feel himself relax and get away from the hellish Root training and Danzo's intimidating, piercing stares, was when he was with Toshio or the few times he was able to visit Yuuto.
The fact that Danzo had deemed Yuuto too young to begin his training was nothing but a saving grace for Haruto, though Haruto could do nothing about the cursed seal that was placed on both of their tongues, preventing them from telling any Root information to outsiders. Haruto was glad that Yuuto had gotten over what had happened to their aunt and uncle, and was now happy and innocent like usual.
Haruto and Toshio were both at the top of the Root trainees' in skill, and it had long become routine for Haruto and Toshio to treat each other's wounds after hard torture resistance or taijutsu training sessions. Even though Haruto had no prior ninja training, his innate potential and talent towards the shinobi arts was greater than anyone.
By the time Haruto was four and a half years old, only five months after he had begun his shinobi training, Haruto's skill was already good enough for him to take the Root graduation exam.
Haruto had already perfected his kunai and shuriken throwing – he could throw multiple kunais or shuriken simultaneously, and they always hit the bullseye. He was even capable of using a kunai to direct or change the trajectory path of another kunai, while ensuring that both hit dead centre of the targets. Haruto had precise chakra control and had long completed the tree walking and water walking techniques, not to mention being fluent in his taijutsu style; a speed-flexibility-based style that targeted the body's weak spots and vulnerable areas.
Danzo found himself feeling impressed and a bit of admiration, as he watched Haruto perform the three basic academy jutsus – henge, kawarimi, and the bunshin, fluently and without any hand-seals. Haruto was definitely a genius within a genius. There were no problems with his skill, he was capable of passing the graduation exam and becoming a Root ANBU operative, Danzo thought.
XXXXXX
During the last week, Danzo had been watching Haruto like a hawk looked at its prey, and Haruto found it extremely uncomfortable. If anything, it was definitely not a good sensation and it filled Haruto with dread of what was going to happen. Haruto could do nothing but hope that his feeling was wrong, as tried his best to ignore the cold and calculating eyes that bored into him as he continued going through his taijutsu katas fluidly.
On the seventh day after being observed by Danzo, Haruto found himself kneeling on the ground with Toshio beside him, feeling a combination of worry and nervous anticipation as he bowed his head towards Danzo.
"After much contemplation and having seen the two of you undergo Root training, I have decided that you two are ready to take the graduation exam and be inducted into my Root ANBU." Danzo addressed the two kneeling figures in front of him. "Stand up and face each other, I want to see you two spar. "
A sinking feeling settled in Haruto's heart, as he got up and obeyed what Danzo-sama said, feeling Toshio doing the same.
Haruto stood facing Toshio, each with a kunai in their hands, as they listened to what Danzo had to say, both feeling extremely foreboding about what was going to come.
"Here, the two of you are to fight each other with your lives on the line. This is the final test and your destiny as a Root member." Danzo continued, making Haruto and Toshio stiffen minutely. "If after three hours, the two of you are both alive, then…Well, I don't think I have to explain what will happen, but both of you will be killed."
Haruto and Toshio stared blankly at each other, betraying no emotions on their face, as Danzo walked towards the door and exited the room.
"I…I can't." Haruto stuttered out, with tears forming in his eyes. "It's impossible for me to kill you, Toshio. I don't want to kill you!"
Toshio stepped forward and looked dead into Haruto's eyes. "Haruto, kill me. You have to do it."
"No…" Haruto shook his head frantically as he stepped backwards slightly. "I won't, I can't –" Haruto's voice broke off, as Toshio dashed forward and impaled himself onto Haruto's kunai. Haruto stared down, his eyes seeing but his mind not registering at what had happened. All he could see was blood. "To…Toshio…what…are you…" Haruto blinked blankly at the sight of his own kunai, held in his own hand, piercing right into Toshio's body. What is this!?
Haruto let go of the kunai he was holding in shock and Toshio collapsed onto the ground, the kunai in his chest and breathing heavily.
"Toshio!" Haruto dropped to his knees in panic and leaned over Toshio. "Are you okay!? Please be okay! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to – " Tears silently fell down Haruto's face as he watched the irregular rise and fall of Toshio's body. Haruto brought his hands up and prepared himself to use a healing jutsu, when Toshio's hand reached up to grab his wrist.
"No," Toshio gasped, "you can't, they'll k-kill you."
Haruto tried to shake off Toshio's hand, but it was surprisingly strong for someone who was bleeding out from the chest and coughing out blood. "It doesn't matter." Haruto weakly said, shaking his head. I don't want you to die, Toshio."
Toshio softly chuckled, "don't be an idiot. If you die, who's going to look after your younger brother? Besides, it's already too late for me."
Haruto knew that Toshio spoke the truth, but he didn't want to believe it. His fingers clutched tightly onto Toshio's clothes, as his shoulders shook with suppressed sobs. "Toshio…"
"Haruto, make sure you destroy my eyes, the sharingan is a power that should never fall in Danzo's hands." Toshio slowly raised his hand and patted Haruto's hair, comfortingly. "Also, promise me one last thing – Konoha, this village and the Uchiha, protect them for me."
"I understand. I'll do it for sure, Toshio."" Haruto nodded his head, as he saw Toshio's breathing slowly down to a stop and the hand in his hair fell down limply to the floor.
Silence reigned in the room.
"Rest in peace, Uchiha Toshio."
Haruto eventually dragged himself into a standing position and schooled his features into an emotionless expression when Danzo entered the room.
"Good work on passing the exam, Giou Haruto. I thought you would be able to do it." Danzo remarked. "From now on, your code name is Yuurei, and you will be assigned to the Infiltration and Assassination division of Root ANBU. In Root, you have no name. You have no feelings. You have no past. You have no future. There is only the mission. We exist simply to support this great tree called Konoha, from within the shadows. Is that understood?"
"Hai, Danzo-sama." Haruto bowed his head robotically, feeling numb on the inside. He didn't feel proud at all; Toshio was dead, yet he was alive. There was nothing good about passing the Root graduation exam.
"What happened to Uchiha Toshio's sharingan?"
Haruto's heart stuttered and he forced himself to not betray any change in his body or his face. "I apologize, Danzo-sama. Uchiha Toshio destroyed his eyes before I had a chance to take them." Haruto answered as stoically as possible.
"Very well, if that's the case, it can't be helped."
Haruto stayed silent while inwardly feeling relieved that Danzo didn't notice his lie.
"Your dismissed, Yuurei."
Haruto acknowledged Danzo's order and exited the room, with nothing but his promise engraved in his mind.
I promise you, Toshio, I will definitely protect Konoha and the Uchiha in your stead.
XXXXXX
The days after Toshio's death passed in a blur of predictable monotony. Haruto threw everything he had into completing the Root missions perfectly, so that he could rise through the ranks of Root. It was all for honouring the promise he had made to Toshio, because in order for Haruto to be able to protect the Uchiha, he needed to become strong.
Strong and deemed loyal enough that Danzo would trust him.
It was only once Haruto had gained Danzo's trust that Haruto could give slight suggestions to Danzo to keep him away from the Uchiha, which was near impossible to do, considering how obsessed Danzo was with the Uchihas. It was only when Haruto was at the top ranks of Root, that Haruto would be able to gain information about the Root missions and learn what plans Danzo had.
After all, Haruto had nothing left, but his younger brother and a vow made with the dead.
It had been a month since Haruto became a full-fledged Root ANBU operative, and it was now March. The seasons had changed and it was now spring, not that it made much difference to Haruto because the only times he left Root headquarters was for missions, and he never really spent the time to look at anything but the things related to his mission.
On the way back on his fifth mission since becoming Root ANBU, Haruto decided to make a little detour before reporting back to Danzo, as he was a bit curious to see what Konoha was like since Haruto hadn't had the chance to do so, so far. Haruto jumped over the roofs in Konoha and stopped on the edge of one of the tall buildings in Konoha and fixed his gaze below. Children running around with big smiles on their faces, parents holding the hands of their children looking, shinobi and civilians strolling and communicating with each other, without a single ounce of fear. "This…this is Konoha." Haruto murmured softly. He was shocked; it was a completely different sight compared to Kirigakure. Everyone, the adults, the children, they all looked so happy and pure, so content.
It was so peaceful.
Haruto made his way back to the Root headquarters, deep in thought about the scene he had just seen. Konoha was too different compared to Kirigakure, where killings, blood, and chaos were viewed as normality, and everyone knew not to trust others as they would only end up being betrayed and stabbed in the back. Haruto didn't know how to describe the feeling that welled up in him, when he saw that sight of Konoha.
"Danzo-sama, Operative Yuurei has returned from mission 250-A." Haruto reported, as he knelled in front of Danzo with his head bowed. "The mission was completed successfully without any complications."
"I see. Good work, Yuurei." Danzo nodded approvingly, and Haruto lowered his head in submission. While the missions were not overly difficult, Haruto was not fond of shedding blood. Rather, he disliked the fact that so far, all the missions he had been sent on were assassination missions. It was nothing surprising considering how Haruto was part of the Infiltration and Assassination division of Root. But he couldn't help but think, just how many people he would have to kill, how many times he would have to spill blood, before Danzo saw him as an indispensable member of Root.
"As a reward for completing all your missions this month successfully, you have permission to visit your younger brother." Danzo continued.
"Hai, Danzo-sama. Arigatou gozaimasu." A small smile lit up on Haruto's face that was covered by a blank ANBU mask, and Haruto bowed in acknowledgment before leaving the room.
Haruto walked down the hallway of the Root headquarters, mind reflecting back to the view of Konoha he had observed from the roof of a building. To be honest, Haruto had fallen in love with the peaceful atmosphere Konoha had, and he thought that might be why Toshio was so adamant about protecting this village. Konoha, that peace, I also want to…
"Nii-san!"
An ecstatic voice along with a pitter patter of feet broke Haruto out of his thoughts, and he instinctively caught the small figure that jumped to hug him tightly. Haruto blinked in bewilderment to see silver hair and lilac eyes identical as his own, looking up at him, and Haruto realized that he had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice his feet had led him automatically to where Yuuto was. Yuuto snuggled into Haruto's chest and Haruto smiled softly, seeing Yuuto's bright, innocent, lilac-eyes and lightly patted Yuuto on the head before putting him down on the ground.
"I'm sorry, nii-san hasn't been able to visit you much. It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Yuuto?" Haruto asked. "What do you wish to do today?"
"Yeah, I really missed you, nii-san!" Yuuto answered while giving a small pout. "Will you listen to me read?"
Yuuto held out a small book titled 'Konoha and her Relations', which made Haruto a bit surprised since that book was a bit hard-level for a two year old to understand. But he knew that Yuuto was quite mature and smart for his age, so Haruto didn't think much about it.
"Of course, Yuuto." Haruto replied, gently caressing Yuuto's hair.
"Konohagakure is the hidden village of the Land of Fire. As the village of one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, Konohagakure has a Kage as its leader known as the Hokage. Konoha resides deep within a forest at the base of a mountain known as the Hokage Rock..." As Haruto listened to Yuuto read out loud, a fierce emotion surged through him, catching him momentarily off guard. It was protectiveness, Haruto perceived. He wanted Yuuto to remain as he was now – innocent, happy, and kind, just like the other children of Konoha. This is what I want to protect, Haruto realized. Konoha's 'King', the most precious piece on the shogi board – the children.
'For the sake of Peace. To protect Konoha and the King, and to fulfill my promise to Toshio. That is why I will continue to be a shinobi.' Haruto thought.
What do you guys think?