Hello. Here's the (not) highly anticipated chapter 6 of (I don't have a name yet as I pre-write this. So yes.) Anywho, enjoy.
"What do you think?"
Mikoto frowned at her husband. "I think you're far too hard on your children."
"They can handle it." Fugaku replied gruffly.
"Itachi may be able to, but Sasuke cannot." Fugaku stood up from the table and moved to stand next to his wife who was washing dishes at the sink. "He's trying his hardest to meet your near impossible standards. You seem to be forgetting that Sasuke is not Itachi!" Mikoto snapped, glaring at Fugaku.
"Listen." He said. "I want my children to be the best. Itachi was naturally a genius, and was easily able to pass school. I want Sasuke to do the same."
"But he does not have the same skill set as Itachi! He's just a boy Fugaku! And he's craving your approval and love, the kind of love that only a father can give!"
There was a loud clang as Mikoto accidentally dropped one of the plates. She breathed in shakily and turned around, wiping her wet hands on her apron and crossing her arms.
"I just... I just want...I don't know." She sighed. "And not only that, but your dragging them both into the coup-"
"Silence. I will not tolerate you berating woman!"
"You'll damn well tolerate it! I'm your goddamn wife and you'll listen to what I've got to say!"
Fugaku looked shocked, and was silent as his wife continued in a scary calm voice.
"You're forcing our children to carry on in your place if something were to happen. I hardly approve of this uprising that you orchestrated, and the only reason I haven't marched to the Hokage with this information is because Itachi and Sasuke would be put in harm's way! And they are already in enough danger as it is! You've got our 13-year-old son spying on people and threatening them into submission! How many people has he hurt on your word?! 5? 10? 100? When will this wild fantasy of your's end Fugaku?! Have you not put our children in danger enough?!"
Mikoto had moved away from the sink by now, and had her towering husband against the wall.
"And what about me?" She snapped. Tears sprang to her dark eyes. "Would you sacrifice everything...our children, your friends...and me for your plan?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, and looked at the ground to hide her tears.
Fugaku was quiet. Didn't she know he'd thought about this already? Did she not think that he'd spent countless hours sleeping in his study because he'd almost always wake up with nightmares and images of his family being killed brutally? How could she not understand that he too, was afraid of losing everything?
"Yes."
Mikoto looked up.
"I would sacrifice everything if it meant that my clan would be free. We have been oppressed for far too long. This may be our only chance to change what we have for the better." Fugaku grasped Mikoto's arms gently. "We can fix this. We can fix our clan and everything else if we just can control our own fate."
Mikoto looked to the side, the tears rolling faster now.
"Mikoto." He spoke gently. "We'll be free. No one will hate us. We'll be much better rulers than the Kages have been. We'll be fair and kind to everyone. Please..." He leaned closer to his wife, and wiped away the line of tears with his thumb.
"I...I just need some space, okay?" She said quietly, and pulled out of Fugaku's grasp. "Good night, Husband."
"Mikoto please-"
"I said good night." She snapped, and continued walking out of the kitchen and into the hall towards their room.
Fugaku sighed. Not many things could make him feel upset, guilty, or sad, but his beautiful wife certainly could. She was the only one who could ever make him feel regret for his actions. He was regretting this coup already because of her. Would he be able to carry on with it?
That was when he heard the yelps of pain from outside, and he went and discovered the Uchiha men Itachi had attacked.
That was also when Fugaku knew he'd carry on with the coup.
The next morning was the same as always. It was 5:00am, and Itachi was the only one awake in the silent house. Waking up early was the unfortunate part of working in the ANBU.
Today would be another day of pointless missions that Itachi could care less about. Especially because since yesterday was over, that meant that he was one more day closer to The Night. The Night that he organized with "Madara" Uchiha, to stop his clan from their own horrible power.
He had less than 48 hours before he had to slaughter his clan.
With a shudder, Itachi quickly finished getting dressed, and performed a few hand seals to appear outside of the ANBU HQ. Walking through the door, he walked past the front desk, (Which was used mostly used for visitors and for show) and to the back room. The back room had many lockers which contained different members clothes, weapons, and their other personal items.
Itachi changed into his uniform, then reported to the main room where the captains and their teams met for missions.
Standing there was Kakashi, or as Itachi had to call him, Dog. The other three on the team were Bird, Mouse, and Dragon.
Bird was a sarcastic and slightly insulting woman of about 20 or so. Itachi didn't really like her. Dragon was an older veteran, who'd seen more deaths and killed more people than you could count. Mouse was a newbie. Fresh meat for the older ones to mess around with. Poor girl...
"Hello Cat." Mouse greeted Itachi excitedly. "We're going to guard the Hokage today!" She said. Itachi could hear her smile and her energy.
"As Mouse told you," Kakashi began. "We are simply guarding the Hokage today on his walk."
There was a certain way that Kakashi spoke that suggested that the Hokage's simple 'walk' may be much more than Kakashi was letting on.
"This is pointless." Bird breathed exasperatedly from behind her mask. "I woke up early for this? This is complete bullshit-"
"Yes you did, and you better be quiet before you say something you'll regret." Kakashi said ominously. Bird huffed in annoyance, then turned away. Dragon chuckled at Kakashi's reprimanding of Bird and Mouse tried to contain her excitement for following the Hokage for the day.
Itachi could honestly care less about what mission they went on. His mind was in a completely different and separate place from reality. He had to concentrate on the task ahead in merely two days...
"Cat." Kakashi said. Itachi turned to Kakashi. "Yes?"
"You'll be with Mouse for today. Since she's new, show her the ropes and how we do things." Itachi nodded, a frown hidden by his mask. The last thing he wanted to do was have a loud-mouth girl follow him about for the day, bothering him with pointless questions about what was happening and other meaningless things that held zero interest for Itachi.
"Mouse, Cat is your superior. Though he may be younger than you, you will listen to him and obey without question." Mouse's demeanor turned serious, and she stood up straight then saluted Kakashi. "Yes sir!" She shouted. Itachi could almost hear Kakashi's eye roll.
"There's no need for that Mouse." He said tonelessly.
Bird scoffed. "She won't last even a second."
"She'll be fine." Dragon defended Mouse.
"Let's get going." Kakashi interrupted.
Itachi and the rest of the team performed a few hand seals and appeared behind the Hokage who was standing at the Konoha gates.
The Third didn't bother to look and see who had appeared behind him. Itachi knew that he was aware of their presence since they weren't too quiet in appearing.
"It's such a nice day today isn't it?" The Third said to the air.
Kakashi and the others then disappeared into the trees, as this phrase was their cue.
After that, the next hour was quite uneventful. The Third was walking allow the path as the ANBU team trailed silently in the trees behind.
"Hey Cat." Mouse whispered from behind.
"Shush." Itachi whispered back so that his voice sounded like leaves rustling in the wind.
"Is this seriously our mission?" She asked.
"What did I just say?" Itachi murmured back. He heard a soft and slightly annoyed sigh.
Suddenly, a group of ninja appeared before the Third which had not been there moments before. Two men at the back of the group were holding a small person who's hands were tied behind them with a sack over their head.
"Hello." The Third greeted calmly.
"Are they the-?" Mouse whispered.
"Silence Mouse."
"Are you the Sandaime Hokage?" One of the men in the front asked.
The Third was quiet, then replied. "Are you the terrorist group that I am supposed to make negotiations with?"
"So," Another one of the men stepped forward. He looked the most intimidating out the group of eight. "You're here to hand over the payment?"
The Third didn't answer.
"Hey, Old Man, are you deaf or just stupid? Are you forgetting that we have one of your villagers as a hostage?!" He yelled.
From behind two of the men at the back, they shoved forward the body and yanked off the sack.
It was some attractive villager girl. Her mouth was stuffed and tied so she couldn't speak. Then one of the men pulled the gag off of her.
Obviously she was not a ninja since the first words out of her mouth were, "Help me please!"
"We will kill her if you don't give us the amount we asked."
"You asked for $100,000,000 ryo. I know what you want." The Third said, the polite smile gone.
"Do you have it Old Man?"
"Does it look like I have it?" He replied.
There was silence, then one of the men pulled out a sword.
"We will kill her. Do you not understand this?!" He snapped, then held the sword under the girl's chin.
"NO! Please help me!" She cried, tears running down her face.
The Third didn't react to her tears, but instead said, "It looks a bit cloudy today, doesn't it?"
Itachi nudged Mouse. "Let's go. Take the gang out. Dog, myself, or one of the others will get the hostage."
In that moment, the ANBU team appeared and quickly and easily cut down the group. Itachi was the one who managed to get the hostage, and quickly pulled her out of the one-sided fight, and into the thick forest so she wouldn't see the carnage.
There was no need to try to cover he ears since Kakashi, Bird, Dragon, and Mouse had all killed the terrorists quickly enough that they had no time to scream or yell.
"Are you okay?" Itachi asked the girl. They were in a small clearing next to the road a little ways down from where the rest of the team was.
He was kneeling next to her, while she was sitting on the ground. She was crying, then unexpectedly threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
"I was so afraid!" She sobbed into his uniform, grabbing at the material and bunching it up in her hands. Itachi continued to kneel there, but did not make any sort of movement to comfort her. That was not what he was supposed to do. That was the girl's family's job.
Perhaps it seemed heartless, but this was a rule in the ANBU so as to prevent their people from developing an emotional tie with a hostage, murderer, enemy ninja, civilian, etc.
Besides, Itachi had already had the unfortunate experience of trying to comfort a hostage, his mask getting pulled off, and the girl 'falling in love' with his attractive face.
He would not make that mistake again. Better to just pretend he was another heartless ANBU.
"Alright, let's get you back to Konoha." Itachi said as he attempted to pry the girl's hands from his neck.
"I was so scared!" She cried, her voice muffled by his shirt.
"Come on. Stand up."
"I don't think I can!"
Itachi rolled his eyes. Now she was just being difficult.
"Let go of me please." He asked.
"No! They'll get me!"
"Okay, you are safe. They were taken care of. You'll be-"
"Having issues Cat?"
Itachi turned around with the girl's arms still wrapped about his neck. It was Dragon.
"Slightly, yes." He muttered.
Dragon chuckled. "You can let go of him now Rabbit."
Immediately, the girl released him. "Thank god. That was the worst I've ever had to degrade myself."
Itachi stared at the hostage with a raised eyebrow. What the hell was going on?
"You do know that this is just a mission to test the new girl right?" Said the girl that Dragon called Rabbit.
"So you're ANBU?" Itachi asked curiously.
Rabbit rolled her eyes. "No. Dragon just called me 'Rabbit' because it's a cute name." She scoffed.
"If this was a fake mission, then-"
"Oh no! This mission was real...in a sense. Those gangsters were real, and highly dangerous. I'm an ANBU posing as a harmless civilian who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and happened to get kidnapped."
"Right, of course. How could I not know?" Itachi deadpanned. Rabbit smirked.
Just then, Bird, Mouse, and Kakashi appeared through the bushes.
"Took care of them. It was too easy. And pointless." Bird muttered darkly, then pulled out and kunai and began to dig under her nails with the tip.
"Don't do that. You'll mess up the kunai." Dragon scolded.
"Whatever." Bird replied.
"Wow! That...was intense!" Mouse gushed. Itachi almost sighed at her innocence. She'd be singing a different tune in a few years...
"Do we have to bring the hostage back?" Mouse asked.
"Yes. Good thinking Mouse." Kakashi praised. Mouse let out a squeal of excitement.
Mother of God.
So the team got back onto the road, and began to make their way back to Konoha. Kakashi was in front with Dragon walking next to him carrying Rabbit (Who was feigning sleep). Mouse was walking next to Itachi who was at the back of the group. Bird was in the middle of the group.
"Where did the Hokage go?" Mouse questioned.
"He's back in Konoha already." Kakashi answered.
"How?"
"The same jutsu we used to get around."
"So did we complete our mission?"
"I have to file a report on the outcome."
"We don't have to do a report?"
"No, only myself and Cat have to."
"Why Cat?"
"Because he must judge how well you did on your first mission."
"Why him?"
"He was ordered to watch over you during the mission, so it's only right that he be the one to evaluate you."
"Where-"
"Oh my god!" Bird interrupted. "Shut up! You keep talking and talking and talking! Do you ever shut up?!" She snapped.
Mouse's ears turned red. "I just want to know what I'm doing."
"You know what you're doing! You're walking back to Konoha with a team of ANBU with a civilian who was previously a hostage who must be very disturbed, scared, and confused!" (Itachi heard the muffled sounds of laughter from Rabbit at this.)
"Well, sorry that I want to perform my job at least a little adequately...unlike you." Mouse snapped.
Bird whipped around and, slapping her face, which knocked off Mouse's mask, had her hand closed in a vice grip around Mouse's throat. Mouse was light enough, and Bird was strong enough that she was able to hold Mouse above the ground by her throat.
"Excuse me?!" She snarled. "Who do you think you're talking to, you little rat?!"
"Let go of Mouse." Kakashi said turning around. Kakashi and Dragon had stopped (Rabbit was pretending to be asleep), and turned to watch Bird choke Mouse. Itachi also had stopped.
"No! This little runt needs to learn respect!"
"She's not going to learn anything if you kill her." Itachi said.
Bird's hand tightened, and Mouse's face began to turn an scary shade of blue.
"You can't just kill people every time they make you angry Bird." Dragon said.
Mouse's eyes swiveled around wildly, and landed on Kakashi.
"H...Hel...p" She gagged out through her constricted vocal chords.
"Bird. This'll go on the report you know. If you kill her, I'll have to do a whole new stack of paperwork and you'll lose your position as a captain." Kakashi said tonelessly.
It was silent except for the sound of Mouse's choking.
Suddenly, just as it seemed she'd choke to death, Bird released her and Mouse fell to the ground choking, and gagging.
"Let's continue." Dragon said. So they continued on towards the village, Mouse still on the ground.
"W-Wait!" She coughed out.
Kakashi and the others continued on without a backward glance.
There was no place for the weak in the ANBU. Chances are, Mouse would quit the ANBU after this incident anyway.
Yay. Ending. Another chapter. I just released two other chapters for two different stories, and I'm going to have to release the chapter for another last story.
And I know this will sound selfish, but please, could you review? I really enjoy reading reviews and knowing that I made someone's day! So if you liked this story, and want to put something, by all means review. I won't bite! Lol! :)
Until next time my lovelies, stay beautiful, stay happy, stay safe! :)