A/N: Hi guys, thanks to all who reviewed you made my day! I know it's been so long since I updated, sorry! By the way, in this chapter, I've included some of the information from the manga… to all those who watch the anime only, don't worry about spoilers because the info I've put in is not very relevant.
So happy reading, R&R!
Chapter 10: The Senju Clan of the Forest
The First Hokage scrutinized the stranger his daughter-in-law had taken in. The man was certainly well-built, with large muscles, shaggy black hair, but with kind eyes and a composed demeanor.
"Who are you?" the man asked.
The Ichidaime sighed. "I should be asking you that, but I'm aware of your situation. I'm the first Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village."
"Hokage?"
"Yes. And the one who took you in was my daughter-in-law. Tell me, do you remember anything, even the smallest fragment of your past?"
The man shook his head. Silence.
"I see. However, there's one other thing I need to clarify." The Hokage stepped closer. "You see, we have to accept the fact that there are enemies all around and that each one of them wouldn't hesitate to send a spy pretending to have amnesia, and then report back to the foe. You know, Sir, that this village has been newly founded but is already well-know. It wouldn't do for us to fall for an unlikely trap like that."
"Wha— I…You think I'm a spy?! I've lost my memory, for crying out loud! And you expect me to… to attack you in your beds?!"
"Calm down, man. Revealing you innocence only involves a single technique. If you agree on undertaking it, it will also lower our suspicion of you a bit."
"You honestly think a person with amnesia makes a good spy?"
"Of course not. It's the vulnerability of your mind which is the dangerous aspect. For all we know, somebody could be overseeing this conversation through your eyes at the moment. Or maybe he could be hearing us through you very ears. He could be controlling what you say."
The man fidgeted with his fingers for a short moment, then looked up with a grim resolve. "Fine. I'll go through that test of yours. And if I… pass, or survive… you'll have to help me too."
"To what?"
"Regain my memory. What else do I need to do?"
Slowly, but just as firmly as his words, the First Hokage nodded and said, "Good. It's a pact between us then."
o0o
"I'm not supposed to be doing this," Mikoto whispered half to herself as she was led by Fugaku himself to one of the rooms in the huge and spacious house.
"Neither am I," Fugaku murmured back. They turned into a corridor and entered the first room. "You can stay here Mikoto. It's an extra room we keep here for guests, so you're free to use it however you want."
He stepped back and allowed her to look around, taking in the sight of what would be her new abode. It was a medium-sized room, with one window and a bed that was situated in one corner. A closet stood next to a dresser, and there was a little shelf stuck to the wall. A poster bearing the Uchiha crest was thumb tacked to one side of the wood-paneled walls. A candle lay on a desk, with a box of matches beside it.
Fugaku laid a hand on Mikoto's shoulder. "It'll all turn out okay. Trust me. Um, I—I need to go now… the others must be waiting for me downstairs."
"Yeah, they probably are," Mikoto answered, surprising even herself. "Go on. I'll—I'll stay here."
Knowing it was too inappropriate to say anything else, Fugaku left the room, closing the door behind him and leaving her behind.
I'm too tired to cry. Instead, Mikoto sunk down on the bed, curling herself up into a small ball and hugging the pillow tight, fully aware that it was cold, unlike the sensation she had when her mother, father, Ryen, or Fugaku… held her close.
o0o
"Finally, you've come down boy. Faster now. We haven't got all day."
"Don't be so harsh Akito, the lad's just lost his father… "
Fugaku couldn't care less about what the others were saying. Wearily making his way towards the dozen or so people present, he kept his gaze down and wondered about what else he had to deal with next.
One of his relatives asked, "What really happened, anyway? How could one of those bandits have killed someone from the Uchiha clan?"
Uchiha Akito cleared his throat. "That's the problem. You see, a mere bandit would not be able to kill an Uchiha. That much is obvious. And another thing is, while the rest of you were here, some of us have gone to the battlefield to inspect the place. We found some weapons strewn on the ground covered with the deceased's blood." He took a deep breath and continued, "However, they weren't any normal weapons. Each one of them had an insignia inscribed onto them." He paused again and opened his mouth, but Fugaku beat him to it.
"You mean the Senju Clan of the Forest?"
Akito turned towards Fugaku who had a steely glint in his eyes. "Yes. The Senju Clan. The clan which is famous for it's Wood Jutsu. The clan which has been our competitor and rival, and the clan where our proud Hokage belongs."