Last week Itachi was subdued before he was able to attack the clan.
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I enjoyed reading them.
Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Pein, who tricked Kishimoto into signing a ten year unconditional license. Hinata is currently trying to buy the rights back. Everyone else is trying to figure out why frogs legs are being served in the ramen at Ichiraku instead of pork.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Chapter 2 – It Begins
"Eight-thirty already? I better get home. Mom gets mad when I'm out after nine." Sasuke threw his kunais into his backpack and exited the school training grounds at a run. It only took ten minutes to run home, but Mikoto had a wicked tongue when she was mad and the eight-year-old boy didn't relish the thought of starting his weekend with a lecture about responsibility. Besides, his stomach had been growling since school had let out several hours earlier and he really wanted to eat something. His mother certainly wasn't beyond sending him to bed without dinner if she was really mad at him. Subconsciously, he started running faster.
The shops were already closed, but the street lamps and lights from the apartments above the shops lit the way as Sasuke ran down the wide main street of the Uchiha compound. He noticed that there were a lot of people gathered at the temple at the end of the street, but didn't think twice about it as he waved to his aunt. A lot of club activities centered on the temple and they were probably having a meeting or something. It was busy almost every night.
Mikoto was standing on the wide, covered porch near the front door when Sasuke arrived. Wearing a knee length, short sleeve tan and black dress and white apron she looked like she had been cleaning. Her thin face was etched with worry and her usually smooth, medium-length black hair was coming out of the band she had tried to secure it with.
Bending over, Sasuke rested his hands on his knees and breathed heavily, "So…rry…I…lost…track…"
Fugaku stepped out of the house and spoke just as Mikoto was about to open her mouth, "Next time be more observant. We were just debating whether or not to go look for you." Sasuke cringed at his fathers stern words. "Go inside and eat your dinner, but be quick about it." He rested his hand in the seam of his black yukata and stood with both bare feet planted firmly on the wooden planks of the porch. His ever-present frown was accentuated by the noticeable clenching and un-clenching of his teeth.
Sasuke nodded and walked passed his parents. Mikoto gave her husband a faint smile before following her son inside. He had tried to hide it, but he had been worried when Sasuke hadn't returned home on time. Mikoto had known him too long to be fooled. She had tried to put him at ease, though, telling him that sometimes their son would stay out until nine o'clock practicing at the schoolyard and going after him before that time would look "out of place" to the ever-present and watchful ANBU who had been tailing the clan.
"Sasuke? We had stew tonight, so grab a bowl and help yourself." Mikoto smiled as her son used a ladle to pour the still hot contents of the tureen into a ceramic bowl. She handed him a piece of buttered bread and watched as the boy dug into his food. In no time flat he was reaching for seconds.
Walking back down the hall Mikoto retrieved a suitcase from Sasuke's room before returning to the porch. Fugaku was staring out at the dark lake with a pensive expression on his face. The full moon reflected off of the water, creating a long white line that rose and fell with small, wind-swept waves.
The clan-chief's stout, muscular build, medium length hair, and serious expression had changed little over the years and Mikoto found herself wondering if Itachi would look like his father when he grew up and started filling out. The two had many similar traits. Both tended to speak only when they had something to say, avoiding small talk. They also tended to be aloof when it came to showing their feelings and perhaps the biggest similarity was in their ninja abilities. While Itachi was a genius who had honed his skills at an early age, they were almost the same as Fugaku's. In fact, Fugaku's one strength over his thirteen-year-old son could be said to be experience. At forty, he was one of the most powerful ninjas in the world and rated as S-rank.
Mikoto figured that Itachi had to also be S-rank by now as well. She had worried when Fugaku had said he would subdue his son. If it had turned into a fight there would have been a lot of destruction and she wasn't so sure either one of them would have come out unscathed. And she was not going to choose between her husband and son. Luckily Fugaku had been practicing Genjutsu techniques with his Mangekyou Sharingan and found one that worked very well at disabling Itachi.
"He'll be okay." Mikoto said quietly, correctly guessing what her husband was thinking about.
Fugaku turned his head to look at his wife then looked back at the lake before quietly replying, "He won't, Mikoto."
"Why not?" Sasuke's worried voice piped up behind them and they both turned around and stared at their youngest son. His eyes were wide with concern and his hands were clenched into fists. "You're talking about Itachi, aren't you? What's wrong with big brother?"
Fugaku was taken aback at his youngest son's outburst, but he could see that the boy was near tears. Sasuke idolized his older brother and Itachi's campaign of avoidance had hurt him greatly. "Sasuke…" He paused and looked at Mikoto, who had bowed her head and closed her eyes, "Sasuke there are some things going on that we haven't told you about. Itachi… is going through a very bad situation right now. It's possible he will never be the same after this."
"But…but you're going to help him, aren't you? You aren't going to hurt him again?" Sasuke instantly regretted his words when Fugaku's eyes flashed red with anger. The young boy remembered seeing Itachi after the confrontation two years ago when his brother had been accused of killing Shisui. The fact that Fugaku had beaten Itachi black and blue had frightened him quite badly; even though he had not seen him do it he did see the distressing after-effects.
"Sasuke!" Fugaku said sternly, "Uchiha do not abandon Uchiha. Fathers do not abandon sons. If that means discipline, then so be it."
"I'm sorry, father. I didn't mean…" Sasuke paused, "I just want…"
Fugaku closed his eyes and sighed, then reached over and put his hand on Sasuke's head. "I realize that. We are all worried about him. Now, I want you to take your suitcase and go to the temple. Auntie is waiting for you there."
"The temple? If I'm spending the night with Auntie shouldn't I go to her house?" Sasuke wondered why this evening was turning out to be so strange. First he was late, then he was given stew, which he realized as he ate had come from a can, then learned Itachi was in trouble, and now he was being sent to the temple with a suitcase. As with most young children, he didn't like being outside of his usual routine and a small amount of anxiety was beginning to build in his chest. Something was going on. In the last year he had spent many evenings at Auntie's house and he enjoyed visiting with her, but for some reason tonight was different.
"It's okay, Sasuke." Mikoto smiled. She knelt down in front of him and gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. "You are to follow Auntie's orders to the letter, understand?"
"Yes mother, I always do what she says." Mikoto gave him a stern look and Sasuke amended his statement, "Most of the time. But I will this time. I promise." He put his shoes back on then grabbed the handle of his suitcase in both hands and walked away.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
"There you are!" Auntie exclaimed cheerfully, "I was beginning to think I would have to eat these buns by myself." The heavyset, elderly woman gave the boy a big smile as she raised her hand to show her nephew a sack loaded with sweet confections. She was actually his great-aunt and had raised the orphaned Mikoto from an early age, so really Auntie was more like a grandmother to Sasuke and Itachi than an Aunt.
Sasuke smiled back at her, "I'll help you eat them, Auntie." He followed the older woman into the temple.
"Take your shoes off, but bring them with you." She instructed as she picked her own sandals up off the floor.
A few of the elders were in a corner talking about something that caused their faces to be set in serious frowns, but it was a hole in the floor that caught the boy's attention. One of the tatami mats was lying askew and in its place was a staircase that descended down into the dark.
"What's that?" Sasuke asked quietly.
"Go ahead and go down, Sasuke. It looks dark from up here, but it isn't really. Just be careful you don't trip." Auntie waved her hand in the direction of the opening and watched as the boy slowly descended, holding his suitcase handle with both hands.
Sasuke was surprised at what he saw. The room was about the same size as the one above it with an altar at one end. The altar had three lanterns sitting on it to help light the room. There were also lanterns hanging from various wall hooks. It wasn't as good as electric light, but it was bright enough to read by, as evidenced by several people who were sitting under them doing just that.
Several boxes labeled "food" and "supplies" were set up against one wall and futons were spread out against the rest of the walls. A table was set up behind the alter that had a propane stove, rice cooker and a tea pot sitting on it. Folding chairs were situated randomly throughout the room, especially under the lanterns.
"You will be over here, Sasuke, next to Sheeta and Nui." Auntie pointed to a corner where the thirteen and nineteen-year-old sisters were already sitting on a futon. They waved to him and he walked over, sitting on the futon next to theirs.
Nui grabbed Sasuke's hand and squeezed it. "How are you doing tonight, kid?" She smiled cheerfully and Sasuke smiled back despite the growing apprehension he was feeling. He knew she was a medic at the hospital and that she always worked the night shift so she could be free during the days. So why was she here? He looked over at Sheeta and frowned. Itachi's girlfriend was staring intently at a photo with a sad expression on her face. He could see part of the photo and recognized it. It was Itachi and Sheeta holding Rumiko's twins before the woman had been killed. He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
"What's going on Auntie? Why is everyone here? Are mother and father coming too?" Sasuke jumped when he heard something slam down above him. "What was that?"
"They closed the stairway." Nui replied quietly.
"What about mom and dad!" Sasuke stood up and tried to run but an elderly man caught him and picked him up.
"Calm down, Sasuke. They'll be fine. We're just staying down here for a while so we don't get in anyone's way." He looked up at the boys face and smiled, "And what's with the tears? Is that any way for an Uchiha to behave?"
Sasuke shook his head and wiped his face off. He had no idea why hearing the door close had upset him. He was actually quite independent and rarely worried about being separated from either of his parents. So why was it bothering him now?
The man put him down and knelt in front of him. "Now, Lord Fugaku is going to be confronting the Hokage about some issues in a few hours. It will turn into a fight and a lot of people are going to be hurt or killed. However, Lord Fugaku and Lady Mikoto are extremely skilled shinobi and won't even get a scratch."
"What about Itachi?" Sasuke sniffed and even though he tried to keep his voice even, it cracked.
"He is going to back up Fugaku, but you know your brother is the Uchiha prodigy. He's not going to get a scratch either. So you see, there's nothing to worry about." The man smiled and ruffled Sasuke's hair.
Auntie put her hand on the boy's shoulder, "Put your pajamas on and I'll give you a roll for desert, okay?"
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Sasuke woke up a few hours later. The room was quiet, except for the occasional snores of sleepers or rustling pages of those who were still awake and reading. He glanced over to the futon next to him and saw Sheeta's eyes were also wide open. She glanced at him once then turned over onto her back and sighed. He realized the teen hadn't said a word all evening. Usually she was quite talkative and outgoing.
Closing his eyes, Sasuke felt someone take hold of his hand and he smiled as he drifted back to sleep.
Sasuke looked around and saw himself in one of the unused rooms in his family's mansion. On the floor were the dead bodies of his mother and father, blood splatters were on the floor beside them. Standing behind the bodies was Itachi, dressed in his ANBU gear, minus the mask. His emotionless face and red eyes glared down at the boy and filled him with fear. Itachi had killed their parents.
Sasuke suddenly jumped up and ran at his brother. His anger was quick and he didn't think first about what he was going do when he reached him, "What's wrong with you?" He yelled.
Itachi bent forward a foot and his fist connected with Sasuke's stomach, knocking the air out of him. The boy fell onto the ground right in front of his parent's heads. He looked straight into Fugaku's face, blood was still dripping from his mouth. They were truly gone. Dead. And the person who killed them was still in the room standing over him.
Sudden panic took grip of Sasuke and tears fell as he started sobbing loudly, "I'm afraid!" He yelled as he dashed out of the room at full speed. He ran out of the house and into the street, only to find his escape route cut off by Itachi.
"It's not true! My brother wouldn't do this!" Sasuke continued to sob loudly as he yelled at Itachi.
"I pretended to be the brother you wanted so I could determine your potential. You will be the one to help me confirm my ability. You have felt anger and jealously toward me. You hoped to one day surpass me. I will let you live for that reason. For my sake. Like me, you have the power to one day awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan." Itachi stopped talking at looked at the terrified little boy standing in front of him, "But there is one catch…"
"Sasuke! Wake up!" The boy felt himself being forcefully shaken and he opened his eyes only to find he was screaming and everyone was standing around him. Nui had her hands on his arms and as Sasuke quieted down she relaxed her grip. He sat up quickly and looked around, relaxing only after realizing there were no dead bodies or evil versions of his brother ready to jump out and hurt him.
"What were you dreaming?" Sheeta asked quietly.
"Itachi… killed a bunch of people and attacked me." Sasuke said in a worried voice.
"Its okay, Sasuke dear, it was just a dream." Auntie gave him a reassuring laugh that made him smile, despite the residual fear from his dream. Everyone else in the chamber settled back down quietly. "You just lie down and go back to sleep. You can see Itachi in a couple days and tell him your dream. He'll probably poke you in the forehead again and laugh like always. You'll see, everything is fine."
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Three-man teams of Uchiha clansmen worked their way through the pre-dawn chill, positioning themselves in key areas around the government buildings, the business district and the watch towers. They moved quickly and silently, unseen by those who watched and unheard by those who listened. Clouds obscured the sky as a soft mist of rain began to fall. It was Saturday and many people were sleeping in, leaving the roads empty of all but the earliest of risers.
Five minutes after six o'clock the front gate and all four watch towers were under Uchiha control as the guards were quickly dispatched. The gate was closed and those who showed up to exit or enter were turned away. A large banner displaying the Uchiha fan was hung over the front and back of the gate, covering the Konoha leaf symbol. The business and government districts were sealed off at the same time the gate and towers were seized.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Fugaku walked resolutely through the streets followed by Toshiro and six other clansmen. As they approached the government buildings they saw a group of Konoha ninjas standing around arguing with the Uchihas on guard. It was a rather one-sided argument as the clansmen refused to speak or back down. Fugaku stepped through the barrier and entered the Hokage tower.
Sending out his chakra, he tried to sense the Hokage's location. As the eight shinobi ascended the staircase they continued to sense nothing more than a few of the early workers and some random ninja. They reached the floor under the Hokage's office and stopped.
"Let's look here. Sarutobi isn't the type of man to hide and the fact that I can't sense his chakra is not a good sign." Fugaku said calmly.
"What is this floor?" One of the ninja, a man named Genga, asked quietly.
Fugaku performed a series of hand signs and opened the door, "It's his private apartment." They entered a beautifully paneled foyer with a polished marble floor and were instantly on alert. The entryway was in complete disarray. The floor was littered with glass and ceramic shards from a broken display case, an overturned shoe rack had spilled its contents and there were deep gouges in the floor and walls.
"I'm sensing a single, faint chakra source inside the apartment." Genga whispered.
Fugaku looked at him, "You and Uchito go check it out. It's not Sarutobi, that's for sure. With any luck it's Konohamaru and he's unharmed. Though, considering how the foyer looks that may be unlikely. The rest of you, come upstairs with me."
As the two men entered the apartment Fugaku and the other five continued up the stairs. The last flight was now dark, even though the lights had been on a few minutes earlier before they entered the apartment. When they reached the top of the stairs they looked around and saw that the hallway was also blacked out. Because it curved around the circular building the shadows cast from the very few exterior windows were short and ominous. As they entered an interior hallway the Uchihas had to use their Sharingans to see in the dark.
The double-doors of the Hokage's office came into view, complete with four dead bodies. They were stretched out against the wall, as if they had been moved to clear the walkway.
"How considerate of them." Toshiro said dryly.
"Someone is in here." Fugaku scowled, "Its Danzou."
Toshiro growled under his breath. "So he got here first. How did he know to come at this time?"
Fugaku clenched his teeth and fists in anger. Obviously this meant Danzou knew Itachi was in custody. The ANBU commander had entered the isolation cells once, years ago, and probably entered them again last night while Itachi was unconscious from the tranquilizer. Seeing that the teenager had failed his mission, he probably moved forward with his own plans to stop the coup. However, what did that have to do with the disarray they had seen downstairs?
"You stay out here. I'm going to speak with him alone." Fugaku opened the doors and walked in, shutting them securely before he faced the elderly man standing in front of the Hokage's desk. The room was unmolested and lit with a table lamp set on the edge of the desk. The sky was beginning to brighten as the sun rose behind the storm clouds. In the distance smoke could be seen billowing up from over a dozen different areas of the village.
"You finally showed up. A little late in the game, but here nevertheless." Danzou smirked. His deeply lined face and forehead were wrapped in white bandages, leaving only the right side uncovered. He was leaning forward slightly, his right hand rested on his cane, while his left arm was wrapped across his torso.
"What are you up to?" Fugaku advanced on the elder, stopping four feet in front of him.
"Why, the same thing you are, of course. Amusing how you never figured it out. Even young Itachi, the 'once-in-a-generation' genius never guessed what my true intent was. I must say, you went to great lengths to restrain the poor child. You should have just killed him." Danzou gave a short laugh. "He was such a good little pawn though."
Fugaku sneered, "You really think it's that easy? I can never forgive you for standing between me and my son. Your death will be long and painful, Danzou. Now where is Sarutobi?"
"Humph. You'll never find him."
"Then where are you? I know that what stands before me is a shadow clone." Fugaku glanced out the window again and watched as the building across the street went up in flames.
"You'll never find me either. But when the village finishes exterminating the Uchiha clan, I will be sure to present myself to your corpse." Danzou laughed again and spoke as his clone disappeared in a cloud of white smoke. "A few hundred Uchihas up against six thousand ninjas; sounds like a massacre to me. I will then take my rightful place as Hokage. The villagers will be more than happy to back me after all the havoc you will be causing."
Fugaku cursed loudly then retreated back to the door. Violently pulling it open, the door banged against the wall with a loud "crack" before the safety catch on the hinge caught it, holding it open. He glared at his kinsmen, as a blind rage filled his thoughts, "Danzou has somehow managed to kidnap the Hokage."
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
"So now what?" Toshiro asked angrily.
"We carry on with securing the village." Fugaku stamped out of the office and into the hallway. "Meguru, Wakaki, secure the building. Grab Genga and Uchito and have them help you."
"Yes Captain!" The two men replied and took off down the hallway back to the apartment.
"You two," Fugaku pointed at Jinya and Chion, "Go to the front gate. Reinforcements will be arriving tomorrow and we need to keep the area secured so they can enter. Toshiro, follow me."
The two men exited the building and immediately walked into a confrontation. Fifteen jounin were standing outside the barrier that was being maintained by several Uchiha men and women. They were keeping up a one-sided argument, trying to get them to drop their guard and let them into the building. There were seven bodies on the ground nearby and the building across from the tower was still burning.
The jounin noticed Fugaku and diverted their attention to the clan chief. "Where is the Hokage? What have you done with him?" A man in his late thirties that Fugaku recognized as Ayuta one of Sarutobi's most trusted ninjas demanded.
"Good question. Perhaps if we can find Danzou we'll find Sarutobi." Fugaku stared at the man, "As for the position of Hokage, that is now my concern."
"What the hell? Are you saying Danzou…" A different Jounin spoke.
"Danzou kidnapped the Hokage, sometime last night." Fugaku frowned. "Now, choose a side, mine or Danzou's."
Ayuta responded angrily, "Don't mess with us! We take orders from Sarutobi! Or if he is absent, the council."
"Wrong answer." Toshiro smirked. "Time for some fun?" He turned around and looked at Fugaku, who smiled back at him.
"Sure, why not?" Fugaku smirked as he launched himself at Ayuta.
Ayuta dodged the attack and swung around with a kunai only to find Fugaku was not there. He quickly jumped away from the area only to find himself knocked to the ground with a kunai in his shoulder. Ayuta jumped up and looked around. "Where did he go?"
"I don't know." One of the other jounin answered.
"Arghhh!" A man standing behind Ayuta fell to the ground, his throat cut open. He grabbed at his neck for a few seconds before loosing consciousness.
"Where are you? Show yourself!" Ayuta yelled as he grasped his wounded shoulder and grimaced in pain.
Seven more jounin dropped down onto the ground dead, but this time there appeared to be no injuries. The remaining jounin looked around the area, but Fugaku was not visible and Toshiro was using Taijutsu on his opponent.
"What is going on?" Someone asked.
"It's probably a Genjutsu." Ayuta decided. He put his hands up to form a hand sign and yelled, "Kai!" Nothing changed.
Four more jounin fell dead and Ayuta knelt down next to one and looked closely at the body. There was a tiny pinprick in the woman's neck. "Poison! We have snipers!" He looked up at the surrounding buildings but he couldn't sense anyone. Of course, they would be hiding their chakra. The man Toshiro was fighting dropped to the ground with a broken neck.
"Good-bye." Fugaku suddenly appeared behind Ayuta and pushed his kunai into the man's heart, then pulled it out and quickly swiped it across the last Jounin's throat.
"Ha! Well that was fun. Nice to see Kisa hasn't lost her touch." Toshiro laughed. His wife had trained several Uchihas, mostly women in their thirties to fifties who were healthy but not fit enough for battle, in the art of poisons and they were now stationed throughout Konoha acting as snipers.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
"What the hell is going on out there?" Hiashi, chief of the Hyuuga clan stood up from the table where he had been sharing breakfast with his wife and two daughters. His long, straight black hair was pulled back with a tie. Dressed casually, he wore a floor length plain brown kimono with a white belt.
"It sounded like an explosion." Yuka gazed at her husband for a minute before she joined him at the window. She wore a black kimono with a black obi wrapped around the middle, as was traditionally appropriate for a married woman. Her long hair was pulled up in a bun on top of her head with several hair sticks poking out. Her white eyes looked over the horizon, "There's smoke coming from the building by the Hokage's tower!"
"I'm going to go see what's…" Hiashi was interrupted by an angry voice calling out to him from the foyer.
"Hiashi! Get out here, now!"
"Who is that?" Hiashi muttered under his breath as he headed off down the hall. Yuka followed him with their two daughters, eight-year-old Hinata and three-year-old Hanabi, bare feet padding silently behind them. Their mother had dressed the girls in identical medium-blue stretch pants and white sweaters with Nordic patterns woven across the chest and arms.
Reaching the foyer Hiashi stared petulantly at the eighteen men standing on the porch. "What is the meaning of this? Have you forgotten protocol? It is unseemly for branch members to approach me directly."
"Arrogant as always." A tall man with long black hair stepped forward. "We are here to take you and your family into custody. Come along quietly and things won't get ugly."
"Sadaharu, that isn't even remotely amusing." Hiashi frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "What is going on?"
"Coup d'état. Lord Fugaku is the new Hokage and we are assisting him." Sadaharu and the men next to him laughed.
Hiashi noted that Sadaharu had not only put an emphasis on "Lord" when speaking Fugaku's name, but he had failed to use the title when saying his own name. He looked toward the Hokage tower and saw the black smoke was thicker. There was also smoke coming from several other areas of the village.
"Hyuuga are loyal to Lord Hokage Sarutobi. You will stand down and assist the village in defending the Hokage." Hiashi said sternly. The idea of the Hyuuga being governed by an Uchiha was distasteful to the man. He saw that clan as nothing more than the descendants of an oath-breaker who had betrayed the Hyuugas, breaking away to create the Sharingan. When his grandfather had agreed to come to Konoha it was with much trepidation, knowing that the Uchiha were already there and their leader, Madara, was a friend of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.
Sadaharu chuckled, "But we are defending the Hokage. Lord Hokage Fugaku."
"Dammit!" Hiashi cursed and brought his hands up to form a hand seal as he activated his Byakugan. Veins popped out on either side of his head near his white eyes as he sent his chakra into the seals located on the men's foreheads. The men smirked at him and Hiashi dropped his hands in surprise. The "caged bird" seal was a dual purpose mark placed on the members of the side branch. In its more benign form it fried the brain upon death, making it impossible for enemy ninja to delve into the secrets of the clan's Kekai Genkai. However, it could also be used by Hiashi to punish or even kill troublemakers.
The seal had been a subject of discord between the main and side branches for decades. It was seen as a symbol of their status as a bird "caged" off from the benefits their heritage had given them upon conception. The main branch used it as a way to show superiority; some more blatantly than others.
"Guess what Fugaku did last night while you slept." Sadaharu and the others reached up and removed their bandages, revealing eighteen clear, unblemished foreheads.
"That traitor!" Hiashi hissed, "You and he will all burn in hell for this!"
"Will you come quietly, or do we have to forcibly subdue you?" Sadaharu chuckled.
Hiashi jumped through the porch and into the yard. "You will all die for your treachery."
"Good, a fight." Sadaharu and the others jumped down into the yard as well. "I was hoping to be able to show you what else we've learned."
Hiashi immediately twisted his body in a 64-palms attack as soon as the men got close to him, but he missed when they jumped back. One of the branch-members jumped close as soon as he finished and began his own 64-palms attack. Hiashi was caught unawares and knocked back against the wall of the courtyard. He stood up quickly and looked at the eighteen men who were now standing in front of him. He never expected a branch member to be able to use that attack, and had unwisely dropped his guard. Feeling extremely stupid for his oversight he glared daggers at the men in front of him.
"Guess what else the branch-members have been doing in their spare time?" One of the men taunted.
Hiashi growled under his breath. He heard a noise coming from the house and watched as ten other branch members subdued his wife and children. There was no way he could fight twenty-eight men using their most powerful attack and he didn't want his family harmed. If he went all out, there would be too much damage. He frowned in anger when Hanabi started to cry. The toddler was sobbing and reaching for her mother but the man holding her refused to hand her over. He saw Hinata wiping tears from her face as she tried to pull away from her captor. The girl caught her father's eye and he shook his head. She stopped struggling and stood still. Yuka stood resolutely as chakra limiting bands were attacked to her wrists. She would do whatever it took to remain with her children, as was her duty.
"Are you finished?" Sadaharu asked.
Hiashi nodded once and grimaced as his own chakra was sealed with same type of bands his wife was now wearing. Another part of being a ninja and a clan leader was recognizing when to fight and when to back down. And backing down now did not equate to surrender. Not even close. He would bide his time and deal with Fugaku later. Even if had to wait a year. His primary concern was the clan, his secondary concern was Hinata, his heir. The young girl had to survive. Third, were his wife and second child. As crass as it sounded, they were disposable. He could always get another woman from within the clan and more children, but "firstborn" was a treasured title within the main-branch and Hinata had to be protected at all costs.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Fugaku, Toshiro and the other Uchiha's jumped back as the building across from the Hokage tower collapsed in on itself. It had been burning for about an hour. The buildings on either side caught fire a few moments later and two other buildings nearby collapsed when jutsus hit them and undermined their foundations. The area was scattered with dead and injured Konoha ninjas.
"Why haven't we been attacked by any ANBU yet?" Fugaku asked as he kicked the man in front of him in the neck, breaking it instantly.
"Good question." Toshiro responded. "Do you suppose Danzou is holding them back?"
"Or they could be disguised as Konoha ninjas." Fugaku realized it would be a logical plan to have the ANBU remove their uniforms and dress as Jounin and Chuunin. He had a passing thought about asking Itachi what his former commander might be planning, but quickly realized that the chances that Danzou had confided anything in the teen were nil.
"Hey you!" Fugaku yelled to the nearest Jounin. "Have there been any instances of Jounin or Chuunin attacking Konoha citizens?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" He responded angrily.
Fugaku frowned, "Where are the ANBU? Danzou kidnapped the Hokage and is planning something. He may be undermining the fighting by playing against both sides."
The man stood still and looked curiously at Fugaku, then glanced around at the bodies strewn around the area. He didn't believe what the clan chief had just told him, but… "That man and that man over there are ANBU. However, if they aren't on duty they could have just run out to join the fight in their civilian clothes. I haven't heard of any attacks like the one you are suggesting."
"Why haven't the civilians been evacuated yet?" Fugaku countered.
The man's eyes opened wide in shock. He himself didn't have a family, so he hadn't noticed. But Fugaku was correct, in the absence of the Hokage the elders or the head of ANBU had the authority to evacuate the village. That had not yet happened. "If… if they haven't been evacuated…" The man closed his eyes and shook his head. The other Jounin and Chuunin standing around him were also showing varying degrees of shock. "Then… then the Hokage and the council must actually be missing. And you don't know where they are…"
"What the hell is going on?" A Chuunin yelled in anger and threw a kunai into the ground for emphasis.
Fugaku activated the transmitter on the wireless strapped around his neck. "All teams report if you have seen occurrences of Konoha Jounin or Chuunin attacking civilians or other non-Uchiha ninjas."
The receiver crackled as four teams responded positively. One had seen it happen and three had reports from civilians that claimed Konoha ninjas had attacked them.
Toshiro growled under his breath. "It looks like things just got ten times more complicated. Now what?"
"We have to evacuate the villagers. You!" Fugaku pointed to the three Jounin and five Chuunin who were standing nearby in an attack formation, "Go sound the order to evacuate!"
"Who are you to give us orders?" A Chuunin yelled angrily.
"Can it Teruha. Traitor or not, he's right. We need to get the civilians into the tunnels. Follow me!" The Jounin ran back into the village, followed by the other Jounin and Chuunin.
Fugaku activated his transmitter again, "If you are able, assist in evacuating civilians to the tunnels."
Next week Danzou plays dirty, a surprising turn of events in the Hyuuga clan and the Uchiha children have an adventure that will culminate in a very surprising discovery.
So how was a powerful ninja like Sarutobi kidnapped? You'll have to wait to find out. I hope Danzou's plot isn't sounding like I pulled it out of the air. I hinted at it a couple times in the last story, but I didn't want to give anything away.
Also, I hope you don't think Hiashi gave up too easily. I figured that since the 64-palms attack was used almost solely by the main branch it must mean they were afraid of the side branch using it against them. In that case, having the side branch learn that attack and removing their cursed seals would place Hiashi in a very bad position. Part of being a leader is not just leading, but knowing when to step down or back off. Hiashi is smart enough to realize this and decides to bide his time. It's the "retreat and try again later" strategy.
I do believe it would have been fairly easy for Fugaku to get a few of the Hyuugas on his side. Mainly because of the hostility they felt toward the main branch of their clan. I decided to exaggerate this and say that most of the side branch is on the Uchiha's side. But who knows… I may not be exaggerating… I wouldn't be very loyal to Hiashi or Konoha if I was in their position. (Sorry, this is one of several things I really dislike about Sarutobi – the fact that he allowed the seal to exist and then sacrificed Hizashi to appease Cloud. Naruto will make a great Hokage because he would never do that.)
And… no Itachi this week or next week. After all, he's sitting in a jail cell right now singing "99 bottles of beer on the wall" and counting ceiling tiles. How exciting can that be? xD But I promise he'll be back in chpt 4. In the meantime I hope you're enjoying Sasuke.
Please review!