Konoha's Weasel Prince

Summary: Itachi never got to use his Susanoo in his fight with Sasuke. As soon as the Kirin hit, he was sent back through time to the founder's era and it was up to him to ensure a safer and surer future for Konoha and the world at large. KisaIta TobiMada HashiMito others mentioned

''Uchiha Itachi, I have been waiting. We have much to discuss.'' Otsutsuki Hagoromo said seriously, purple Rinnegan eyes focused entirely on the descendant of Indra that he had signaled out of place in this time. Said Uchiha eyed him just as seriously, a hand reaching up towards his hitai-ate. The old man made no move to stop him and Itachi figured if he really was the Rikudo Sennin he would have no reason to. If he felt threatened, he could easily swat Itachi away like an annoying bug and be done with it. What sort of threat would Itachi be to him, who was the first to be hailed as the God of Shinobi?

So Itachi didn't feel bad about needing to free his chakra by removing the suppression seal and he felt a little better when he allowed his eyes to quickly activate, Sharingan spinning right into Mangekyo Sharingan and regarding the Otsutsuki with new eyes. What he had suspected was proven true and Itachi took a step back, torn between running away from this place and bowing to the old man in respect. Despite what his story with Sasuke might suggest about his suicidal tendencies, Itachi was far from eager to meet death. He wanted to live like anyone else, it is only that he had accepted that he did not deserve to for all the crimes that he had committed and that Sasuke was the only one who deserved to end him.

That didn't mean he wanted to die and it certainly didn't mean he wanted the Sage of Six Paths to kill him.

Hagoromo seemed to sense where his line of thought had diverted and was quick to dissuade it. ''Easy, Uchiha Itachi. I have no intentions of harming thou in any manner. I simply wish to speak with thou about your current situation.''

That instantly drew Itachi's attention and he calmed somewhat. He wasn't even sure why he had had such a reaction in the first place. It could that it had all been too much. Almost dying, being pulled from the threshold of death, meeting century-long dead people, Konoha being gone, meeting his best friend's ancestor, being propositioned to finally experience peace himself and knowing he can't accept it and now this ... It really was overwhelming. Itachi felt he had been taking it all in stride rather well. Even he was allowed a moment of weakness, of panic even though he knew it wasn't really warranted.

But wasn't it? Hagoromo actually had more than enough reason to be angry with Itachi. Not only had Itachi all but destroyed one of his son's clans but he posed a danger to the other two. Not that either the Senju or the Uzumaki were doing any better than the Uchiha. Only Senju Tsunade, Uzumaki Naruto and that Uzumaki Karin girl that followed Sasuke around were left other than Sasuke now. But Itachi's presence here must present a threat to the current flow of time and so that is why Hagoromo might have decided to erase him from here.

And he was being unreasonable again. Itachi very nearly rolled his eyes at himself and how he was acting. This was so unlike him. Had any of his fellow Akatsuki or ANBU collages ever seen him like this, they would have laughed their asses of. Really, Itachi felt ashamed of himself. He certainly had a screw lose somewhere if he was reacting this way to his great ancestor who had been rumored to be nothing but kind and forgiving in life. And they did say you took your personality to the grave.

So, as a sign of good will and faith, Itachi allowed his Mangekyo to revert back to only the normal Sharingan but didn't put back on the suppression seal or deactivate his eyes fully. Trusting he may be willing to be but he was not going to become foolish. This man had been waiting for Itachi to come to him himself for almost an entire month. This wasn't going to be just a social call for a chat.

Still, Hagoromo seemed pleased with the amount of trust Itachi had been willing to extend and smiled at his great descendant. ''I thank thee for being willing to contribute to this conversation and discuss this matter with me thoroughly.''

''What may I help you with, Rikudo Sennin-sama?''

The Otsutsuki seemed curious and impressed with not needing to introduce himself. ''Hagonormo will be just fine, Uchiha Itachi.'' He watched the raven haired man nod before continuing with what he had been intending to discuss with his descendant. ''Thou have found thy self misplaced in time and thou do not understand how you have wound up in this specific time. Thou wish to know if there is a purpose, a specific reason for thy presence here, no?''

''Indeed, Hagoromo-sama. I was supposed to die yet I have ended up here.''

''Thou are right to assume that it is not a coincidence, Uchiha Itachi.'' Hagoromo said. ''I have seen thou fight with thy brother and have decided that there has been enough killing happening within the family I have started.''

''That's nice,'' The Uchiha drawled sarcastically, a flat look on his face. ''Why exactly didn't you interfere some eight years ago? Or during the Uchiha-Senju wars, for that matter? Stopping Uchiha Izuna's death would have saved us all a lot of grief.''

''I could not influence it.'' Hagoromo said defensively, sniffing indignantly. ''Neither young Uchiha Izuna's death nor thy family's intentions. I cannot interfere or influence here, either. But that is why I have thou.''

''Pardon?'' The former ANBU questioned cautiously, studying the old man and trying to understand what he was getting at. Because there was no way he heard that right. There was no way Hagoromo meant what Itachi thought he meant.

''I would like to ask thou to make sure this war ends favorably so that Zetsu cannot poison Uchiha Madara's mind and make him believe that Infinite Tsukuyomi is the only way to achieve lasting peace.''

''Infinite Tsukuyomi? The technique Otutsuki Kaguya used to enslave humanity?''

''Well, enslaved is one way of putting it.'' The ancient man said uneasily, averting his eyes. Itachi snorted.

''Yeah, the right way.'' Getting a somewhat annoyed glare that he felt he didn't really deserve but let it go, Itachi focused back on the topic at hand. ''You can't seriously expect me to jump in front of the attack meant for Uchiha Izuna, you do realize that, right? I want to die by Sasuke's hand and my death here would be meaningless. If anything, it seems that now it would only cause more conflict since apparently the Senju have grown fond of me and ending up dead, at the hand of an Uchiha or just because of them, will only make things even more messed up in this time. It's best if I just went home.''

''I did not mean for thou to die, Uchiha Itachi. I am sorry if I gave thou cause to think as much.'' Hagoromo said somewhat apologetically. ''If anything, I would like thou to stay here until true peace is accomplished. I give thou the permission to go about achieving it however thy see fit. The people of this time are far closer to thy time than my own and thou will have better chances of fixing the mistakes of the past than myself.''

''Hagoromo-sama, I hope you do understand that changing even one single thing could change the future irreversibly or, even worse, cause a disturbance in the fabric of time and space. Reality itself might cave in if I were to fiddle with the past.'' The Uchiha cautiously replied, watching the Otsutsuki for a reaction. It was Hagoromo who snorted this time.

''Have I believed thou to be irresponsible enough to do so, I would not have chosen thou for this task.'' The old man floated closer to Itachi, making Kuro Onyx gawk in warning and protest of this strange man nearing his master. Itachi brought up a hand to placate him but the crow still glared at the father of both the Uchiha and the Senju. ''I have studied thou and thy life, Uchiha Itachi. What thou have done and what thou have been through would have decimated any other person's mind, heart and resolve to keep on living. Thou have throughly impressed me and thy moral code has given me hope. Thou want peace more than anyone I have set my eyes on and as such, thou are the best for this mission.''

''I am unsure what you expect me to do.'' The Uchiha prodigy had to admit, really not understanding what qualified him better than countless other people to settle this old dispute. As if reading his thoughts, Hagoromo elaborated it all.

''Thou have studied the history of this world more than any other. I trust thy decisions and methods to make sure Konohagakure, the first peace-keeping settlement, is indeed born, but not on the ashes and blood of a centuries old war. The foundation for this village must be stronger than it had been the first time around. Change what thou see fit but do so with however much caution thou believe is necessary. Thy love for Konoha exceeds even its founders' and that is what ensured thou will be responsible and that thy success will change the history of this world for the better.''

''I don't want to make big changes.'' Itachi glared at the Sage of Six Paths, in a moment of big-brother-overprotective-tendencies forgetting the earlier fear/respect. ''Changing even just one moment in the past, big or small, might have drastic consequences to the future and could cost me my brother, my parents, my best friend, my comrades, my partner, my own life and so many others. The Konoha I love might not be perfect, it might have its underbelly, its darkness and its secrets, but I am still Konoha no Uchiha Itachi and I will protect the village that has raised me to my last dying breath.''

''Would thou not like to stop all the deaths that have happened?''

''I would very much like to change everything, from Uchiha Madara's first attack with the Kyuubi no Kitsune to the attack Nagato-kun made against Konoha, but that does not mean I will do it. Why, one might ask? Because the universe has a way of taking care of itself and keeping its own balance. If I were to make a change and tip the scale in either way, I would disturb the universe's work and a whole different world might be born from it, one where our entire suffering might be an every day occurrence and far worse things were the real problems.'' Itachi reasoned, shuddering just thinking of a universe, of a world where his pain was multiplied so much that everyone could feel it. That was not a universe worth living in. It was a nightmare. It was hell. And he would have been its creator if he made just one mistake.

''There is always a possibility of failure, Uchiha Itachi. I am perfectly aware that thou know this.'' Itachi turned his face away from his elder and Hagoromo sighed. ''I know this is a heavy burden I am weighting thy shoulders down with, but thou are the only one I could entrust this task with. Thou are the only one who would not abuse this chance to gain more power for thyself or to make things go the way thou would have wanted. Thou are the only person who would ignore their own desires for the greater good.''

And wasn't that just the problem Itachi had been addressing with himself on his walk here? That he was chronically incapable of doing things that would make him happy because what would make him happy will probably take away someone else's happiness? Itachi didn't have a single selfish bone in his body. Well, he wanted to be selfish but he could not be. It went against everything that made him who he was to just disregard others and do what is best for himself. And if Hagoromo was telling the truth about observing Itachi, then he must have known that, too. No wonder he said Itachi was the perfect for this task. He knew Itachi would rather die than do something selfish that might in any way impact Konoha's future. It made him, yet again, the perfect sacrificial lamb.

Itachi grit his teeth at the thought.

''What do you want me to do?''

Hagoromo studied him for a moment before shaking his head, the braid on the side of his face swaying with the movement. Kuro Onyx made a protesting sound, as if understanding that his master was once again being asked to make an impossible sacrifice, do an unthinkable mission and was expected to succeed. Ever since Shisui's death, this crow had acted as the overprotective presence that liked to nag at him about his health. While he had been partners with Juzo,the man had found them an odd but amusing pair. He didn't do anything to discourage the bird form its tendencies but he didn't help it out, either. It is in Kisame that Kuro Onyx has found an ally against Itachi's stubbornness. The shark man had his own reasons for wanting to keep Itach alive but the weasel wasn't going to contemplate about why. It simply wasn't the time for his cheeks to heat up.

Still, it was fact that Itachi would think of others before himself. Hagoromo would use that and Itachi would do his best to ensure a better future for his loved ones, the few that remained. If it meant stopping a centuries old war, well, that would only be practice for stopping the war in his own time. Kuro Onyx will just have to suck it up.

''I have already told thee: I am leaving that up to you. Do what thou think is necessary to ensure the birth of Konohagakure and the system with which peace has been kept for as long as it has.'' Itachi bit his tongue not to mention to war he was born in and the two that had preceded it, or the silent war he had been leading against Danzo for years. That was inconsequential at the moment. ''I will not limit thy work or the things thou resort to. I only warn thou that thy time here is limited.''

''How long do I have, then?'' Itachi asked, already thinking of all the things he could change and wondering how long each thing would take him. The first thing on his agenda was, of course, a different end to the war. If he could speed it up, while Uchiha Tajima and Senju Butsuma were still alive instead of dying at each other's hands and as such rekindling the slowly dying flames of the conflicts, then the war might end without Uchiha Izuna dying and Uchiha Madara going mad from grief and the Curse of Hatred. However, Madara will still need to retrieve the Kyuubi and that Itachi was not sure how he would mange. If the Kyuubi isn't first sealed in Uzumaki Mito, then Uzumaki Kushina would never be brought into Konoha and Uzumaki Naruto would never be born. The Kyuubi Attack and all the deaths that have occurred on October 10th might not occur but far worse things could result from that event, too. Such as Minato-sama never getting that extra motivation to become just a little bit stronger, just that bit faster.

He would also need to find a way to strengthen the trust the village should have had for the Uchiha and the Uchihas' own loyalty to the village. Or at least he should find a reason for Madara never to leave. But if Izuna lives, he would never have a reason to leave, either ... But him not leaving for three years would mean no Kyuubi and that brought Itachi back full circle. The genius was already feeling a headache forming.

There was just so much to do and he needed to know how much time he had to do it all. Forming Konoha hadn't been easy the first time around but if they have a bit of a head-start and an advisor, it might go quicker. But there were changes that would affect more than Konoha if they were to happen. And some of those things that Itachi thought might be best changed might not be in his power to change, no matter how long he stayed.

All in all, this whole thing might be time sensitive and unless he knew how much time he had first for planning and then making those plans a reality, the whole thing would be fruitless and just a waste of time.

He needed to know how much time he will have.

Hagoromo smiled mysteriously at the young man and Itachi knew instantly that he will not receive a straight answer. He was immediately tempted to activate his Mangekyo Sharingan and try to Tsukuyomi the man but Hagoromo beat him to it before the temptation could become too much. He raised one hand and pointed at Kuro Onyx and the bird squawked when one of those strange black balls that hovered around and behind Hagoromo suddenly rushed at it. Before either the bird or its master could react, the Truth-Seeking Ball merged with the black bird and Kuro Onyx let out a few more protests before falling quiet when nothing seemed to be amiss.

''When thou time here is up, the Gudodama will leave thou companion's body and lead thou back here.''

And he was gone before Itachi could curse his existence for being so secretive and utterly unhelpful.

As if he didn't have enough on his plate, he just needed a bored old man having a bit of fun by tormenting the young.

''Guess we better get to work, ne?'' He asked his companion before quickly deactivating his Sharingan and putting back on the stupid repression seal and then his hitai-ate, too, before turning back towards the Senju Compound. One thing was sure from Hagoromo's uninformative answer: Itachi had more time than he had already spent here, at the very least. He possibly even had more time than was originally needed to build Konoha, which was good news.

Itachi really had a lot of work to do and he needed to start right away if he wanted to meet the unknown deadline.