Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes.
Character age:
Akane, Itachi: 18
Naruto, Sasuke: 12/13
Shisui: 21
Kakashi: 26
"Akiko-san, may I ask you a question?"
"What is it Dai-kun?"
"When we got to the hospital, there was a seal on Uzu's stomach. She taught me a lot about them because I'm a medic, and I know there is something sealed inside of her. Is that...that's why she was near complete chakra exhaustion, isn't it? She never told us she had that on her, and I'm sure as hell she didn't have it before Uchiha Shisui got her out of Kiri. She's not a jinchuriki because Konoha wouldn't have let her go like that, so what..." the medic trailed off, concern-filled eyes watching over his unconscious teammate. She wasn't plugged or anything, she was just under the blankets of her hospital bed. The stasis seal was not there anymore thanks to Ko's technique which stopped her own kinjutsu, but her insides were not melting. She was just...there, like a corpse, the underneath of her epidermis frozen. They couldn't plug her to any machines to check her vitals.
"Dai-kun, Mangetsu-kun," The latter averted his eyes from the cloudy sky he was staring at through the window, "you care about my daughter, don't you? You've helped her go through Yagura's special treatment?" They both nodded. "Then ask her when she wakes up, but keep in mind if she tells you that she's not lying."
"We will wait for her to talk then," Mangetsu said before Dai could speak, "you should go now Akiko-san, the funerals should start soon."
"I probably should fetch Kakashi-kun first," she whispered with one last glance to her daughter, "take care of her for me, now and when you'll leave."
"We will." Akiko left, leaving the two anbu with their sleeping teammate. "What is our position exactly now their Hokage is dead Mangetsu?"
"I don't know. If we can't move Uzu like you said until she wakes up, then we should contact the Mizukage and tell him about the situation. I know," he said as he noticed his friend pacing, "that the Mizukage is like that, but we can't provoke a diplomatic incident."
"How would we provoke a diplomatic incident? By stealing one of their pigeon to send a message!?"
"I don't know," Mangetsu hissed under his breath, "I don't know Dai, but with Uzu's team in T&I for interrogation about all they have seen during the Exams and her in that state, we better be careful. Especially between you and Uchiha Shisui, he can come and see her if he wants to."
"I don't like him."
"I hate to admit it, but he saved my life."
"And made us believe she was dead!"
"Come on, you and I both know we never fully believed it. It's not what pisses you off." Dai scowled at the swordsman, who looked down at the floor in thoughts. "It's how he's looking at us, isn't it?"
"I don't care if they are friends or not, or even if there was more, but nothing gives him the right to look at us as if we were going to harm her on purpose. I'm pretty sure Uzu never said anything about what happened in Kiri and he's making assumptions about us because he doesn't know anything and..."
"He cares about her a lot."
"I don't give a shit! Nothing gives him the right to question me when I was trying to heal her!" Dai snapped at him, his hands firmly clenched into fists on his sides. "He doesn't know us and just because we are from Kiri he thinks we don't care about our comrades!"
"Dai, shut up now," Mangetsu ordered him with a frown. "Don't go too far, you never know who could be listening."
"In any case, Uchiha needs to understand we care about Uzu too and that we've had her back since day one." Mangetsu raised an eyebrow at that and Dai snarled. "Fine, I needed an time of adaptation but you got along with her pretty early."
"I saw her passed out where I used to train. I understood the situation earlier than you, that's for sure, you angry narrow-minded sadistic medic."
"I grew up man, come on!"
Silence filled the room as rain started to fall from the sky. From the hospital room, they could see the Hokage tower, and the many black spots on the roof. Orochimaru lost and fled, leaving Suna behind, betrayed, hurt and alone. The team of the jinchuriki was still in T&I from what Haku had told them, interrogated again and again about Orochimaru, their plan and where they stood as the late Kazekage's children. People talked a lot in the hospital hallways, a lot more than in Kiri's hospital, and they knew the Kazekage's body had been found in the desert of the Land of Wind. Konoha was pressuring Suna to fully surrender by having those three, yet nothing would be really done until they found the Fifth Hokage.
Two days passed with no amelioration. The five shinobi of the Mist took turns in keeping Akane company, under Itachi's watchful eye who was still on his mission.
"Dai, remember what we discussed," Mangetsu growled to his friend, who was in a staring contest with Shisui. Behind the Uchiha, Itachi sighed.
"Shisui, they're her teammates."
"I know Itachi, I'm not looking for troubles." Shisui replied idly, onyx eyes slowly looking away from angry emerald green. "I'm just visiting my friend, it's not as if I had ever done anything to hurt her." Dai clenched his fist and glared at the Uchiha, who was provoking him on purpose.
"Hey, can I see my sister or what?" Naruto interrupted them in a deadpanned voice. His eyes glanced at single one of them and he frowned, crossing his arms in disapproval. For a second Itachi thought he had Kushina in front of him. "Sakura-chan said crowding around an injured person isn't good, so what are you doing?"
"Naruto is right, what are you all doing in my daughter's room?" a polite yet slightly frightening voice asked sweetly, and Akiko's smile made all of them shiver unconsciously. Naruto snorted with a smug grin as they all left. In the hallway, the two Uchiha walked away.
"What did you expect, she was Uzumaki-san's wife, of course she can pull off the frightening card," they heard the swordsman say. Itachi and Shisui frowned. Akane never talked about her father, yet those two seemed to know him but not personally, more like two shinobi who knew about someone's strength.
In Akane's room, Naruto sat quietly next to her, his aunt at the foot of the bed. She had not tried to keep him away from the fight against Gaara and instead let him and Haku handle it. He also knew she had bet on his victory against Neji and he could not help but feel warm inside at the idea his sister still had faith in him even though she was cold to him, was trying to put some distance. He was hurt at first, and tried his best to impress her in the preliminaries, yet he could not care less now. It was annoying to see Shisui and her teammate Dai glaring at each other when they were in the same room, but all Naruto wanted right now was to hear his sister's voice.
"Aunty, what does nee-chan have exactly?"
"Severe chakra exhaustion and she's frozen from the inside," she replied immediately, "her kekkai genkai provoked it, she must have used it to try to counter something. She has been reckless to use it like th..."
"Kekkai genkai?" Naruto repeated slowly. "What's that?"
"Well, it's a capacity transmit by bloodline. For instance, we have dÅjutsu, visual kekkai genkai like the Byakugan that runs within the Hyuuga clan, or the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan. But there are also elemental kekkai genkai, it..."
"Haku said they were hunted down in the Land of Water Aunty, and people who had them were scared," the genin interrupted her and worry engulfed him when his aunt's eyes flashed with pain, "is that an Uzumaki kekkai genkai?"
"No, it's from her father's side. Haku, did he tell you his..."
"He uses ice, he blocked Gaara with it during our fight."
"And...Akane showed some kind of particular interest in him?"
"He said she saved him on the bridge, why?"
"They're probably related." Naruto widened his eyes at that. "In the Land of Water, even if you can have an Ice Release on your own, the Yuki clan was known for it."
"Yeah, that's what he said!"
"Then they are related, distantly or not. Her father...was half Uzumaki, his father was from the Yuki clan and Akane inherited the Ice Release, like Fubuki had before her. The hunts Haku mentioned are the reason why we left Kiri when she was one."
"Nee-chan was born there?"
"Yes. I'm sorry Naruto, there is a lot of things you don't know about our past, but..."
"That's okay. You didn't say anything to protect me 'ttebayo!" Naruto grinned at her to ease her worried and guilty face. "Just...just tell me when you're ready, I'll wait!" Akiko smile tiredly at him and ruffled his blond hair.
"You've grown even more during these Exams huh? You're getting stronger and stronger. Do you want me to teach you more about seals?"
"Hum...I don't wanna fight with them!"
"Oh, why?"
"That's nee-chan's thing! When Suigetsu tried to continue his fight with Bushy Brows, she used your Immobility Seal but not on them, on the floor! Shikamaru said it was like the old version of his Shadow Imitation Technique, and then Kakashi-sensei said it was expected of a Seal Master to be able to do that kind of things because seals have the potential to recreate any techniques that exist."
"You really remembered all that?"
"Hehe," Naruto started and rubbed his nose with his finger in pride, "I'm still an Uzumaki, I know stuff about seals!"
"Yo!" The two Uzumakis looked at the open window, where Jiraya was standing. "Still no amelioration? I have a solution, Naruto you have to follow me to find the Fifth Hokage!"
"Heh...but what if nee-chan wakes up?"
"Didn't you hear what I said? I have a solution, and it's the woman who'll be the Fifth Hokage. It's exactly who you think it is Akiko," Jiraya said as Akiko widened her eyes and gaped at him.
"But I want Kakashi-sensei to teach me the Chidori too! Sasuke showed it to me yesterday!"
"I see...well maybe I should go get Sasuke. Too bad, I know a technique way stronger than the Chido..."
"A stronger one!?" Naruto yelled excitedly, running toward the Sannin. "Teach me Pervy Sage, teach me!"
"Yes, yes, go pac..."
"I'm sorry, do I bother you?" They froze at the threat lingering in Akiko's voice. They slowly looked at her and Naruto paled when he saw the dark aura around his aunt. "Last time I checked, Naruto was under my responsibility, genin or not. You should ask me too, Jiraya-san."
"Can I Aunty?"
"Of course, go pack your bag, and if the genin behind the door wants to come too then let him, you'll deal with his parents Jiraya-san."
"I haven't set a foot in that part of the village for years," Jiraya chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head as Naruto opened the door, catching Sasuke just before he ran away.
"Yo Sasuke, we're gonna get the Fifth Hokage!" Naruto said, catching his best friend in a chokehold.
"Wai...Wait idiot I can't breath!"
"You will take care of them Jiraya-san?"
"Yeah, no way I'm letting Minato's and Kushina's son and the little Uchiha in danger. Who knows who can be lurking around...stay on your guards."
"Of course, have a safe trip."
Jiraya left in a puff of smoke.
In the afternoon, Mangetsu was walking in the village. Dai stayed at the hospital and he was supposed to pick up the genin from T&I, something about them finally being done with interrogation. He was pretty sure the Uchiha he was with when he found Uzu was following him too. It was understandable anyway, from the tensions there used to be and the situation of Konoha at the moment, they could try something.
The swordsman sighed. He wanted to leave Konoha as soon as they could, yet he had a bad feeling lingering in his mind. Being on a team with an Uzumaki meant a lot of unexpected things exploding into your face. And as he wandered through the quiet streets of Konoha, he was trying to figure out what was going to happen.
He ended near a river, the sun reflecting itself on the motionless surface of the water. The quietness of Konoha a few days after the attack was slightly unnerving him. He understood the village government was a mess, but shouldn't they track down Orochimaru? The borders were important, but still.
Mangetsu stopped in his steps and frowned. There was something in the air, something vaguely familiar. It was...chakra? No, it was too faint to be it. So wha...
"Please don't," the long-haired Uchiha told him sternly as he jumped in front of him.
"Why?"
"We are currently dealing with it."
"What?" Mangetsu droned. He stared straight in the Uchiha's eyes, and when he spotted the first sparks of red, liquefied himself and mixed himself in the river. He heard the Uchiha running after him but he didn't care, because he knew what he felt.
Samehada was not far away. It was a particular sword within the Seven, the one which was basically alive and had a personality of its own. Mangetsu had wielded it perfectly before Kisame left Kiri, and now he was feeling it near.
Hoshigaki Kisame was in Konoha.
Why would he be in Konoha?
When Mangetsu heard voices, he jumped out of the water and shot water bullet at his senpai, who barely managed to stop them. He didn't waste time and charged, blocking Samehada between the two blades of Kabutowari.
"You..." Kisame started but Mangetsu took Samehada and jumped behind the two Konoha jounin with it. He put Kabutowari away and felt Samehada getting excited in his hands.
"I know, it's been a while," Mangetsu whispered to it before grinning at Kisame, "hey, how are you doing Kisame-senpai?"
"I would be better if you gave me Samehada back, Mangetsu," Kisame replied dryly, baring his sharp teeth in a toothy grin. Grin Mangetsu reciprocated. The shark man took his straw hat off and glared at the younger swordsman.
"Kisame...as in Hoshigaki Kisame?" Asuma asked without averting his eyes from Kisame. "Pretty famous in the Bingo Book, you went as far as trying to kill a Daimyo, didn't you?"
"I knew you'd be the first one to be recognized," the other man, half a head shorter than Kisame, noted dully as Itachi appeared next to Mangetsu, sharingan burning in his eyes.
"Asuma-san, Kurenai-san, please report the situation to the higher-up immediately." They just had to see Itachi's sharingan spinning lazily in his eyes to leave.
"I hope they're gonna get the Hatake brat, I have a score to settle with him."
"What, you actually want to get in a fight?" Kisame inquired curiously. "Do you want to clear up your name after the kid's defeat against the puppet?" Mangetsu scowled. Kisame was the man Uzu's opponent had mentioned after all, and from the coat he was wearing he must have told things about any strong shinobi in Kiri. But clear up his name?
Mangetsu cursed in his head against the trouble magnets Uzumakis were when the man took off his hat. Short brown spiky hair, like Naruto but even shorter, brown eyes and a slashed Kiri forehead protector, like Kisame. He was...pretty average if it wasn't for the fact his face was known in all Kiri and caused nightmares to his female teammate, and the slight discoloration in his left eye.
"Uzumaki...Ushio," Mangetsu muttered with wide eyes, and Ushio snorted with indifference as Itachi twitched at the name.
"I guess I'm still known in the village. It's surprising knowing Yagura must have buried everything related to me and made Akane the sole 'worthy' person of the Uzumaki name. He always said I should be prouder of that damned name when I didn't even wear my father's name," Ushio stated dully, brown eyes flickering quickly to Itachi. "Heh...you make me think of someone I fought in the Second War, the guy got a name for himself during the third one I think."
"What are you doing here?" the Swordsman asked him.
"I was quite impressed to learn who her teammates were, I never would have thought you three would end up in a team together. Yagura has a wicked sense of humor after all." Ushio closed his right eye when he noticed the pattern of Itachi's sharingan changing and smirked at him. "My, you think your petty little sharingan will work on me? I've fought Uchihas before and learned, unlike how the Uchiha clan seemed to absolutely always rely on their eyes. So so dumb." For a brief instant, Itachi thought he was listening to Akane. This man was her father, there was no doubt about it. He was a missing-nin and in his village. He was responsible for Akane's traumas, even if he didn't know the nature of said traumas he knew that he was the reason, the absence of any picture of him at Akiko's was enough proof for him.
"Uchiha, don't try to fight him, except if you've already fought against an expert in fuinjutsu who was a candidate for the post of Fourth Mizukage." Itachi glanced at Mangetsu and frowned. Akane's father was powerful enough to be considered as the Fourth Mizukage, yet he defected? What was the story behind all this? "I know you're skilled but if your sharingan doesn't work like he implied you won't last, trust me on that.
"And you?" Itachi shot back and he felt an uneasy feeling creeping up inside of him when he got a negative shake of the head as an answer.
"He was friends with my parents, he knows how my clan techniques work."
"You're damn right about that!" Ushio laughed rudely at the comment. "Anyway...oh, Kakashi, how are you?" the man purred as he turned his head to look at a pissed off Hatake Kakashi, who had his own sharingan ready.
"You have nothing to do here Ushio-san, what do you want?" Kakashi only got a smirk as answer and he grabbed his right forearm tightly, bluish lightning growing in his hand. "If you came here to finish your work..."
"First of all, that trick didn't work on me the first time, it won't work now," the Uzumaki said with a sadistic pleasure at Kakashi's growing anger, "second of all, I don't care about my daughter now, especially in the state she's currently in. She shouldn't use kinjutsu so lightly. Last of all, I want to meet the latest addition to my family, are you gonna deny me that?"
"So the Akatsuki wants Naruto?" Kakashi asked him darkly and the two missing-nin stared coldly at him.
"Now, that's an interesting development Ushio-san. Should we take him down?" Some police officers, including a red-eyed Uchiha Fugaku, joined Kakashi.
"We're outnumbered, a fight here against many Uchihas, Kakashi and Mangetsu would not be good now Kisame. We'll leave," Ushio answered coldly, "sorry, Samehada will stay here."
"Wh-" Kisame did not finish his sentence as Ushio teleported both of them away. Kakashi and Fugaku shared a glance.
"Fucking Hiraishin," Mangetsu muttered.
"Kakashi, you should follow them," Fugaku told the jounin who was dispersing his jutsu, "Naruto and Sasuke are with Jiraya-sama right now, but still. Go and tell them, I'll take responsibility for sending you out if it's necessary."
"Understood." Kakashi left in a body flicker.
"Father, why..."
"Jiraya-sama left to seek Tsunade-sama so that she could become the Fifth and heal Akane," his father replied sternly.
Itachi followed Mangetsu as he walked stiffly back to the hospital. He opened the door to Akane's room without a care in the world, where her team and the medic were with Akiko.
"Mangetsu, is that...Samehada?" Suigetsu asked his brother slowly and blinked.
"Guess what guys, I've just seen Kisame-senpai about to leave Konoha with her dad!"
"What did you just say?" Dai asked him almost in a whisper and Itachi noticed the color leaving Akiko's face. "Ushio...that guy was there?"
"Ye..."
"Did he say why?" Akiko pipped up with a dark glint in her eyes.
"Naruto, they want Naruto," Itachi murmured and he regretted telling her when she nodded and left in a puff of white smoke.
"I think you fucked up Uchiha, go tell your superiors about Akiko-san," Dai told him. Itachi nodded but his dark gaze lingered on the sleeping form of Akane. "What?"
"He said he didn't care about her now," Itachi whispered and Dai widened his eyes, glancing at Mangetsu for confirmation. The Swordsman gloomily nodded.
"Tomorrow morning, I'm leaving for Kiri with Uzu's team. You stay here with her as the medic. I need to report Ushio's reappearance to the Mizukage asap."
"Aneki and Naoto will be worried sick," the medic mumbled, "fuck it."
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you, trouble twins! Happy birthday to you!" We all sang together, Boruto clapping excitedly on his mother's laps as I walked in with a big chocolate cake. I knew Sasuke would leave for a very long mission soon, and I was glad he taught my kids the Great Fireball Technique, even if Shisui was frustrated because he couldn't do it. He...might have inherited more from me than I thought.
"Yosh!" Naruto yelled and pointed his finger toward Kakashi, who raised his eyebrows. "Kakashi-sensei, you're the Hokage, cut the cake!"
"It's not a part of the jo..." Akiko's bottom lip started to quiver as her big black eyes were getting watery. "I...will, fine I will, Akane give me that knife." Akiko grinned at her uncle figure and actually winked at Sasuke before sitting back next to him. Sasuke smirked at his niece and poked her forehead as I rolled my eyes.
"Was it how it was with oji-chan?" I mumbled and sat down next to my son, who was frowning. "Hey, the plate didn't do anything to harm you and I'm sure it would be sorry if it was the case," I whispered to him with a playful smile. He started and looked up at me. "Come on, you're seven today, smile for your old mother?" He shot me a toothy grin I knew was fake.
The atmosphere was nice for the rest of the afternoon. Sarada and Himawari were both asleep up stairs, Hinata keeping an eye on them and Shisui was playing with Boruto, leaving the adults talking between them. Until a small hand wrapped itself around Sasuke's wrist.
"What is it Akiko?" her uncle asked her softly as she was rocking back and forth on her feet.
"It's my birthday...can you tell me? About my dad Uncle Sasuke?" Everybody froze at the question and Naruto peeked at me, who was staring at my daughter with wide eyes.
"Why do you wanna know Aki?" her brother asked her harshly as he walked next to her. "Why do you wanna hear things about a murderer?"
"Shisui..." I whispered faintly and his angry black eyes found mine.
"What mom? Everybody in Konoha say Uchiha Itachi was a murderer. It's because of him if Sarada and us don't have grandparents. He was a murderer, nothing more, nothing less!" he screamed at me and my hand started to shake on my thigh at the small tears gathering at the corner of his eyes. "Even if he was alive, he wouldn't care about us like he didn't care about you!"
"Shisui, don't talk to your mother like that!" Sakura scolded him as she stood up abruptly, her chair falling in the process.
"I don't care, Uchiha Itachi was a useless piece of trash who didn't care about others but himself! I hate him and..."
I stared in shock at my son, who cradled his reddening cheek in his hand. His eyes, his beautiful eyes, Itachi's eyes, stared back at me with tears of pain running down his face.
"I hate you!" he yelled in anger and ran away. I started to go after him but Naruto stopped me. He grinned at me and wiped a lonely tear from my cheek with his real thumb.
"We're taking care of it with Sasuke, Akiko needs you 'ttebayo." With that and Sasuke nodding to me, they were gone. It was at that moment I heard Boruto's muffled sobs behind me, that Sakura heard too as she picked him up and went upstairs. I finally took a look at my daughter, who was hiding her face in Kakashi-san's flak jacket.
"Oh my god Aki, please look at me, mommy is so sorry," I whispered to her as I knelt next to her. I stretched out my hand to run it through her hair but stopped an inch from it. Slowly, she turned watery eyes to me and it broke my heart.
"Un...Uncle Sasuke and Naruto-oji said Daddy would have loved us," she stuttered in a small voice, "they were lying?"
"No, of course not, Daddy would have loved you with all his heart and I'm sure he's watching over you right now," I told her quickly, warping her in a hug.
"And he loved you too right?"
"He...told me he did once," I confessed dully. But it had never been enough, I wasn't enough to make him fight. Sasuke was more important.
I raised my eyes when Kakashi's patted my head with a comforting smile. I hugged my daughter tighter. When Shisui came back, he jumped in my arms in tears, saying he was sorry and that he just wanted a daddy like everybody else.
Only God knew how much I wanted to have their daddy with us too.
"How did that guy train you for the finals again?" Sasuke asked Naruto as he was carefully drawing an explosive tag.
"He made me sign a summoning contract and then he spied on girls that Pervy Sage!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, flailing his arms around him. "How are we gonna find the woman who'll heal nee-chan and train if he lets us in an hotel room!?"
"It was weird from the moment he said he'd teach you something more powerful than the Chidori."
"Hey, it's not fair Kakashi-sensei teach you that and refuses to teach me too!"
"You don't have a lightning affinity moron, and you need the Sharingan to perfectly execute it."
"Sharingan this, and Sharingan that..." Naruto repeated in a high-pitched voice, which got him a glare from the young Uchiha.
Someone knocked on their door, stopping their bickering. They looked at each other and Sasuke stood up to put his ear on the door. He couldn't hear anything. As a reflex, he activated his sharingan, knowing that if Jiraya ordered them not to open the door it was for a good reason. The Uchiha noticed shadow under the door and widened his eyes, pulling Naruto with him to the wall when his eyes saw the door infused with chakra. A second later, it exploded.
"You know, they say the Bakkuton is a kekkai genkai but from the moment you know how to make explosive seals out of your hands it's pretty much laughable, don't you agree?" The cheerful voice didn't get any answer and the genin glanced at each other. "Come on Kisame, we couldn't waste time to get Samehada back! Don't pout!"
"If we had started a real fight we would have Ushio-san," the other man, Kisame...sulked?
"Anyway!" the first man stated, looking at them with a toothy grin. "Ah, the blond one is definitely Kushina's son, he has her face! Come on, give us the fox now Naruto."
"The fox?" Sasuke repeated quietly, unaware of the terror written on Naruto's face.
"Come with us and we won't hurt baby Uchiha over there," the man continued. "Come on Naruto, Akiko raised you better than that! Introduce you properly to your uncle!"
The two genin widened their eyes.
This was Akane's father in front of them, and all Sasuke could think of was what she had told him on her brother's grave. It was the man who killed his own son, and now he was there for Naruto. Without thinking, Sasuke created a chidori in his hand charged.
Straight to an S-rank missing-nin.
Hey! Thanks for reading! Please review so that I know you liked it :)
Nevvy: Thanks for the reviews :) The Uchiha has a name, don't you worry, and Hinata wasn't in the hospital but in the infirmary of the stadium. as for Konoha in Kiri? We'll see, but I have everything planned in my mind already :)
Bye !