Chapter 7: Brighter Days

The month after the Uchiha Clan's demise sent Konoha to lay in a cloud of gloom, autumn swooping in harshly with frequent rain that many people agreed with.

Children were sheltered from the terrible news, though the adults did not hide it completely. Only children in the academy had it announced to them in their classrooms, needing to know the reality of what dangerous and capable shinobi could be capable of. The lesson that many of the teachers attempted to pass on to the younger shinobi hopefuls only turning the students against one another in the coming years, vicious than ever as the meaning of enemy became more lethal.

After all, no one knew when their fellow teammate, friend, or family could turn rogue.

Only the survivor Itachi Uchiha had been seen since the tragic event, silence following him as everyone witnessed him taking the responsibility of 12 children total, yet left everyone in the dark on what the future held for the survivors.

Three days later, the constant sound of construction could be heard from the compound and at the end of the month, the mass funeral was held. Open to the public, ANBU and jonin had been hired to police those from hoping to borrow any belongings to be buried, rowdy behavior, and any suspicious activity.

Though no one had seen passed the facade the young Clan Head held, the progress that had been made shocked the public, the news reaching each far corner of the village and later the surrounding nations.

Itachi Uchiha had sold 3/4's of the Uchiha Compound. A new, smaller wall had been built around where the Uchiha's would now reside for their privacy - closer to the village. Only 16 properties remained under the Uchiha name, each building remodeled and refurnished with a completely new building. Plans for the former wall to be destroyed, construction equipment to move the debris was lying in wait for the event.

Unable to care for any children outside of his own brother, the clan head had a contract drawn up between his clan and the village. In exchange for shinobi trained nannies that would assist in the care and safety of the orphans and a monthly hiring of genin squads to maintain the grounds and deep clean the buildings, the police force was now owned by the village and ran by the Hokage. With Itachi being the reasonable option for the new Police Chief, his experience and knowledge would continue the traditions and training. Several of the career genin's that were of age were redirected for the first batch of the new Police Force, their new training being taken to easily lessen the work load that several of high level shinobi had taken since the massacre.

Though Itachi had stood tall and alone, the survivors that were released from the hospital were being cared for out of view. No need to reopen old wounds, he was losing track of all those that had apologized for his loss, of how many times he had bowed or shaken hands, until a familiar blonde haired girl was next in line.

Though he was prepared to bow, she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him once more. Hesitating before returning the hug, the sniffles against his chest were loud as the Uzumaki whispered how proud of him she was and how happy she was he got to stay this time around. Touched and honored to hear such words from her, he felt slightly guilty at having not contacted her.

Busy but inspired, the former ANBU member hadn't spoken to her in three weeks, the last being a note he had left underneath her door saying he was sorry. Taking a page from the future Sasuke's book, he only found it right to fix the image of his clan himself. To ease his brother's mind before it could try to worry and to begin changing the reputation of the clan in case the coup d'tact ever got out, he hadn't seen a hair of Danzo since the massacre either.

It hadn't taken long for civilians to begin offering to buy up the old shops and homes, but the attempt to move himself and his younger brother back into the Clan Head house proved to be fruitless against the younger ones recovery. Instead, Itachi had requested to quietly buy the apartment building that Naruto resided in. Short of it being abandoned on the edge of Konoha's small red light district with three total tenants, the landlord was only keeping the lease due to the Hokage being the one who paid the rent for Naruto. The other two tenants were prominent but discreet prostitutes that the landlord took advantage of.

Silently wishing he did not know that detail as he evicted the furious two, he had a surprise visit from a distraught Kakashi after signing the deed. Watching the man slap a sticky store bought bow on the entrance, the older teen told the younger one that Obito's grave was empty and that if he ever wanted to lease to him, he had to fix the place up first before disappearing in a poof just as Naruto turned the corner.

It became a pleasant project for the three to fix the place up, the Hatake appearing to cause a hassle when the younger two were distracted by rearranging or outright taking objects and to remind Itachi of writing up a contract. In the midst of teaching Sasuke how to wall-walk and giving the excuse to 'teach' Naruto the clone jutsu, the Sandaime had commented that the two would need as much protection as possible and it was easiest this way. As it turns out, Jiraiya's spy network discovered Orochimaru joined the Akatsuki and has been playing with seals on his new experiments.

It was another step in the right direction, Naruto sighed in relief at the news.

And life was to continue much differently than it had for the three.

Kept out of the academy for two months, Naruto shared her classwork with Sasuke when she believed Itachi had his back turned. It kept the younger Uchiha in the loop and gave him something to look forward, to distract him from his sudden new life.

Noticing the cloud that followed him however, it became tradition for the brothers to go to the training ground alone on Wednesday nights and practice together. Giving the one on one time properly that he had repeatedly promised and didn't give before, it was especially important now. Steadily teaching the younger one the signature taijutsu used by almost all Uchiha's, Friday nights had turned into practicing their elemental affinities, to gain control. He wasn't going to have Sasuke to do it, until he had viewed Naruto's determination and the progress she was making.

"The other me never did much with elements, she never even checked if she had a second one! If I can't work on a lot of my other jutsus from the future 'cause I gotta wait to be taught, then I'm going to make my damn own until then!"

It made him wary of her, a layer of frustration at her new young age and at needing to wait years for the next big disaster underneath the excuse of wanting to reach new heights that her other self wouldn't. Watching her send herself flying into the air once however during water walking, he was certain she would reach those new heights quite literally. Justifying his teachings of advanced topics to Sasuke knowing that his other self had abandoned the village for more power, it was agreed to be kept a secret between the three. Finally giving in to the insistence and interest, Itachi kept it away from the two on who he was leasing two apartments out to. Figuring they'd introduce themselves, only Anko Mitarashi had approached Naruto after the girl pranked another shop keeper.

Two rejects, names and glares followed the two around and he was almost glad she found someone local to relate to on it this time around. As long as they promised to fix whatever damaged they caused together, he turned a blind eye to the odd violent interactions they had.

A whole two months and three weeks after the massacre, while he was signing away another deed to a former Uchiha house, he was summoned to the academy though.

His brother was once again similar to his other self, Naruto had pointed out. Quiet, brooding a lot, swearing to get revenge and ignoring everyone.

But they were supposed to be sparring that day, and the biggest difference was that the younger Uchiha wanted Naruto to take things seriously. Instead, she was losing battles, purposely goofing off in class, pulling much more elaborate pranks that caused more havoc than before, failing tests, and never paying attention.

So when it was time for people to choose partners to have a free for all spar with teachers overlooking, Sasuke had almost pushed Kiba aside and demanded him to be first against her.

It was the first time the class had witnessed him truly lose his temper, everyone stopping to watch Naruto lose quickly over and over until Iruka had stepped in. Jumping over the teacher's arms and charging for her again, the first thing out of his mouth was to tell her to take it seriously because her enemies will.

Making a quick visit to Inochi later that night for his opinion, the offer from that terrible night still open. His daughter was watching from the top of the stairs at their home but unable to hear, Itachi wasn't sure how to handle the news.

"Sasuke sees himself, you, and Naruto as a team against the world at the moment. Because she was so involved with his everyday life before the massacre as well, he's afraid that this Obito figure will come back and tie up loose ends. He knows you're strong enough to defend yourself, however she is not, just like him."

Touched that his familiar relationships extended to her already, she scoffed and said that he can be as mad as he wants to be, she wanted to form Team 7 again.

But when they were home, Sasuke and Naruto acted like a brother and sister - similar to Hana and Kiba Inuzaka in Itachi's eyes though much more violent. Arguing over everything, the casual disruption of each others routines out of childish spite, yet moments of coexisting that could be mistaken as sweet, at the academy they kept a distance. Sasuke because he didn't want her distracting him, and Naruto because she didn't want his fangirls thinking the wrong thing.

Itachi couldn't say he was surprised when she tricked Sasuke into getting detention without her one day. Happily devouring dinner the older one offered, the mood quickly turned serious.

"I was thinkin'. The next big disaster for Konoha will be the Sound and Suna invasion ran by Orochimaru," she mumbled around her stuffed cheeks. "I wonder what that'll be like now, ya know? With you around, 'cause couldn't you kick his ass super fast?"

"Yes, when he and I were partnered together in the Akatsuki, he had attempted to place the seal to steal my body. I believe that is why he had targeted Sasuke during the chunin exams later."

"Yeeeaaah, I imagine it takes awhile to plan an invasion anyways, so it's probably already bein' worked on. I guess the only thing we gotta work on is keeping Danzo away, making sure Team 7 is formed, uhh," trailing off as she began to wipe her mouth off on her sleeve, Itachi handed her a napkin that she stuck her tongue out at. Giving her a subtle firm look, she smirked in response and puckered her lips out at him. "Do it for me then, if ya don't like my mess, aniki."

Cocking an eyebrow in surprise at that, she scoffed in his direction before roughly taking the napkin and spreading the mess across her cheek. "'Cause ya know, Sasuke's my chakra's brother and he your brother. 'Sides, I ain't got manners and won't until I'm 18, don't worry. One day I'll learn an' I'll live it up until I have to have them. Anyways, I think he might attack you before the invasion again, or he'll try to during it."

"I wouldn't be surprise with either, though he may target Sasuke instead of me now. I was easily accessible as his partner in the Akatsuki and now, unless he happens to come across me by myself on a mission, Sasuke is still an easier target."

"Truue, but we'll just have to wait a few years to see, huh?"

"Yes, we do." Eyeing the streak along her cheek, her eyes revealed the frustration she had at waiting before she shot him a cheeky grin when she caught him staring. Grabbing a clean napkin and grabbing hold of her shirt in the same second, he held her in place with her struggling to get away. Using one arm to hold her head still and the other to wipe it off, she pouted until he finished before bursting out in laughter.

"Ya know, I never would've expected to have you welcoming me home after school, makin' me dinner or letting me help you, or to just.. be doin' stuff with you like this." Blinking almost owlishly at her, she gave a gentle smile. "Just never woulda expected it. In another time, you pretended to hunt me down so you can kill me! I just really really like this a lot more, ya know?"

"I do know. I like this more too."

Posted: 04/24/2019