Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
A procession of black and platinum luxury vehicles stood stark against the various grays of the city buildings surrounding them as they passed. The sparse spots of sun shining through the soon-to-be rain clouds cast silver glares over windows and puddles. The air was sticky with humidity, but cold with wind. A bleak and miserable day. Despite the drab weather, the flags mounted on the passenger door of each car displaying an uchiwa flag waved proudly. A small Japanese boy sat in-between his parents in one of these vehicles - a Mercedes Benz - in dead center the processional. The boy's short, spiky hair was askew so his faceless mother bent over him to fix his hair when the father shouted an order to the driver. But it was too late.
The boy watched as the black car ahead of them flipped backwards and with the sickening sound of metal being crushed that car crashed into the Benz. Blackness, then...
Uchiha Sasuke awoke then. At first the raven-haired boy only opened his eyes, still laying in his pallet, staring past his thick eyelashes at the silver light floating through the crack in his best-friend's blinds. Then he could feel: the cold of the floor underneath through the comforter, the warm wet welling up in his eyes. Sasuke aggressively wiped these away and sat up, looking about to see who else was awake. Sasuke's body had been tense from his dream, but relaxed upon seeing his friends' peaceful expressions. To his right Naruto was still sprawled out over the entire floor if possible, snoring like an idiot, and to his left was Usagi. Her body was wrapped tightly around a pillow and cocooned in Naruto's Momotaro-themed comforter, long hair down and only her face and a single bare leg poking its way out. If this had been the last time Usagi had visited, Sasuke would have been out of sorts seeing her this way.
Sasuke had had a crush on her then. A fourteen-year-old's first-real-contact-with-a-girl kind of crush. Usagi was bright and smart(er than her brother) and outgoing. They could hold conversations about music, video-games, politics (those were strange conversations), whatever. At the time, he had gone as far as to ask a teacher at his junior high school for advice on dating an American girl to which he answered, "Do you have no national pride, boy! You can't mix the races and expect to keep Japan strong! Bad enough we have to school you together..." At first he had completely ignored this nationalist advice out of spite. Naruto was white, and he was his best friend! But as Usagi refused to reciprocate his advances he thought that maybe she was only interested in her own "kind". He was just 'Duckbutt' to her. Maybe his racist teacher's words had held some kernel of truth.
Sasuke's interest in Usagi fizzled out. Now, in his mind, she had developed into just another side of Naruto. One with better taste in music, more intellect, and well... a rocking body. Besides, the political theories she inherited from her father were over his head. It was emasculating. Now, the thought of being with her was a little weird. Sasuke wanted to treat Naruto and Usagi like he wished his own brother would treat him.
Recent events, therefore, had been unsettling. Ever since he had made that foolish phone call to Itachi about the party, Sasuke had been noticing a strange change in his older brother's behavior. Itachi read philosophy and history more, stayed out later. More disturbingly, Itachi refused to let Sasuke in on anything, yet somehow Sasuke was the one the bat-shit old man assaulted for information! The younger Uchiha brother knew his brother was involved in some sketchy things (he wasn't stupid, he knew that's why Itachi wouldn't talk to him about it), but anything that would invoke that violent a response from Usagi was too much.
Ever since their parents had... died, Itachi and Sasuke had been under the care of their nanny, until Itachi turned seventeen when he suddenly decided to move the two of them out of the Uchiha manor in secret and into a penthouse. He remembered Itachi specifically forbidding a maid to let their uncle Madara know where they moved. The Uchiha manor was an ancient place, having been the home of their family when they were a feudal clan hundreds of years ago. Leaving it felt like a betrayal to their parents' memory, but the younger brother had to follow the older, now guardian. Now, with no one to care for it, the traditional home lay empty, dilapidated, and abandoned.
Growing-up, Itachi was the best older brother imaginable. He was always willing to play, to give advice, to be open and honest. Even after their parents' deaths Sasuke could tell Itachi was doing his best to be strong for his younger brother's sake. According to their father's will, Itachi was to inherit the company at age seventeen. That's when things began to change. Until then Madara had acted as "regent" and had only seemed too happy to hand the reins to his brother's child. Uncle and nephew often met at the company doing... well Sasuke never knew what. What he boy did know what that Itachi would often come back to the penthouse white as a ghost and increasingly harder to read. He never had time to play or help with homework. They never even ate meals together. Itachi, when asked, always claimed it was the stress of running their family's empire, but Sasuke had a difficult time believing that. Itachi was a prodigy after all. Nothing was too much for him.
The forever-annoying bug that was Iruka came during Sasuke's musings to wake the boys and send them off to school. Jiraiya still had not come home yet at the time they left. Although Sasuke was still angry at the old man for bruising his face up yesterday, it left a sour taste in the Japanese boy's mouth to think that his own brother might have something to do with his disappearance. If he was even missing. Jiraiya was infamous in their circle for his habitual partying. Throughout the torture of attending school that day the anger he held towards his brother escalated. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke could not find it in himself to put any trust in Itachi's promise of innocence concerning the tanks. All of the drama and animosity being directed towards his family because of the war machines made the anger the teenager usually held far from view bubble near the surface.
Sasuke decided enough was enough.
After school and cleaning duties, Sakura and Naruto left early to meet with Usagi as Sasuke headed to the penthouse he hadn't seen in several days. If it were up to the young Uchiha he would never see it again. The penthouse was a few train stops from the school, deep in the glass and concrete jungle of downtown Konoha. The high-rise that housed it was barely ten years old, built during a temporary housing boom, with terracing floors near the top and bottom covered in hanging plants and seasonal flowering bushes. Itachi had once likened it to the Babylonian hanging gardens, likeness enhanced further in the lobby by raised plant beds and center fountain. Sasuke now glided through this lobby, avoiding the gazes of the lobby workers that knew him so well, and entered the elevator to ascend to the top-floor.
Inside the penthouse the artificial homeliness that Itachi had tried to create contrasted greatly with the organic modernity of the rest of the building. The furniture and accessories had been purposely chosen because they were comfortable and inviting rather than reflect the power behind the person that purchased them. At the warm-brown semi-circle couch that took up most of the joint living and dining room sat the object of Sasuke's frustrations - his older brother Uchiha Itachi - who appeared busy with... sleeping? Sasuke's brows furrowed and his head tilted in scrutiny. Itachi never, ever slept this late, let-alone outside his bedroom.
Itachi was awoken with a start from his unusual slumber when Sasuke picked up a throw-pillow and pounded him on the head. "What the hell is this, Aniki?"
The older Uchiha jumped up and instantly regretted it, grabbing his head when he experienced pain and dizziness. He had never had alcohol let alone a hangover before, and probably after last night would never have it again. Despite the light coming through the balcony's french doors that burned into his retinas, Itachi almost smirked, "You've only been gone three days and you don't recognize a nap when you see it? I see Naruto's IQ level rubbed off on you." He looked up then to see a glowering face and he glowered right back. The right side of Sasuke's face was black-and-blue. "Your face... What happened to you, little brother?"
"Jiraiya beat me against a fucking car, that's what happened!" Now in his anger he threw the pillow across the open space into the kitchenette the brothers never used. "He interrogated me like a criminal because of some beef he has with YOU!"
"I wasn't aware-"
"Whether or not I was aware of your bullshit didn't keep me from getting thrashed into by that towering old fuck who, by the way, never came back last night."
"Strange..." Itachi thought aloud, "We left separated on good terms long before morning." He and Jiraiya had discussed their plans and strategies until just before three in the morning when they parted ways and the rare drunken Itachi staggered onto this very couch and passed out. Had he really slept all day...? He was definitely never ever touching alcohol again for any recreational purpose.
Sasuke noiselessly pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and began typing a message, sending it before returning the phone to its previous place. "I just sent Naruto a message. If Jiraiya hasn't shown up to the house by now I'm turning you into the police, Itachi." When the older simply lifted a brow in amusement the younger spat, "I'm serious! Do you know what I went through today at school? Everyone wants to know about those tanks but what am I supposed to tell them? They were intended for rebels in the States but for some reason their pointed at Japanese citizens? Some people are accusing our family of treason! I've turned a blind eye to all your business since our parents died, but I won't ignore you harming my reputation and friend's family!"
"Sasuke... we should talk about this. There's a lot of things you should know, but at the very least you must know I met with Jiraiya to help, not harm."
"Help them?" The sound hissed through Sasuke's grinding teeth. "Uchiha Corp. sells weapons, Aniki, and not to rebel factions hiding out in caves and abandoned cities. You've taken our family's fortune and legacy for blood money! We used to be the pride of Japan! What profit could you possibly get from helping them now?"
Any inkling of a hangover was gone now as frigid liquid sobriety ran through Itachi's veins. He knew Sasuke blamed him - with proper right - for the downfall of what was left of the Uchiha claim, but how much exactly did his spiky haired sibling know? Regardless of what Sasuke thought he knew, he would never know that or why Itachi saw the Uchiha name as a curse. There was no glory or honor anywhere in the once-clan's long history. Ever since he had his first real conversation with their father... Itachi wanted out.
Slowly, Itachi stood from the couch to look down at his one and only brother with features stern. Itachi couldn't remember the last time they had stood so close, but now he noticed Sasuke was only an inch shorter than him. When did he grow so much? "We have a common enemy and a common goal. Harming the anti-statists would be harming myself. If you've ever read The Will of Fire you would understand."
Sasuke was not at all intimidated by his older brother's assuming the man-with-conviction role and so sneered in response, "By common enemy you mean Uncle Madara? You read a few words and you turned against him? I don't believe that trash." While Itachi seemingly abandoned showing emotion in recent memory, Sasuke could still pick up on the small indications his older brother gave; a vein in Itachi's neck twitched and his jaw settled. Aggravation.
"Believe whatever you want about me, Sasuke. Just promise me you'll stay away from Madara."
Sasuke opened his mouth to reply when a beeping interrupted him. Only stopping his glare towards Itachi to look down at his phone, he said blankly, "Looks like your story checked out." Sasuke would just have to retreat and return to the drawing board. There was just no way he was letting his brother off so easily of all the unnecessary mystery and ridiculousness. He turned towards his own bedroom, flipping the bird over his shoulder, "I don't respect you enough anymore to care."
Once Sasuke had shut his bedroom door behind him things were quiet. Itachi stood in this silence musing on his options. He knew for certain that he did not regret his choice to keep harmful information from his younger brother, but was it time to finally talk to him about it? Regardless of Sasuke acting like a child, Itachi decided that it was worth a try. Lightly he walked to Sasuke's door and knocked on it, "Brother. If this is about what I haven't told you then I think you are right. You deserve to know if you want. It looks bad right now but... not everything is what you think it is."
There was a loud 'thump' from the other side of the western-style mahogany door before Sasuke shouted, "I told you I don't care what you have to say! I'll find out for myself." There was another moment of silence before Sasuke cracked open said door. Giving Itachi the most venomous glare that he had ever seen - like a demon in old folktales - the spiky haired Uchiha growled, "And stay the hell away from my friends. Usagi does not need your bullshit." The western door was then slammed in Itachi's face.
Itachi knew then he had also been slammed out of Sasuke's life.
Other than the occasional cell phone jingle, Sasuke's room was silent for the rest of the night. Surely he was collaborating something with his trouble making best friend. The long-haired older brother did not attempt to speak to the younger again unless he decided to come out and be civil. Neither ever happened.
Instead, late in the night, after shadows casted themselves over the entirety of the living room and Itachi sat motionless, staring out of the balcony doors, his own cell phone beeped on the coffee table. Inside was a message from an unknown number that read simply: Tomorrow at 18:00, at the shrine on the hill. If you're late, I'll leave. Come alone. There were only so many people that would both have his personal number, but only one that would leave such a message. It was the very person that his beloved brother had just threatened him not to meet with, for fear that he would only make their life more complicated.
Namikaze Usagi, however, needed to hear what he had to say, and so Itachi would go, having already lost all that should matter to him: his little brother's respect.
/
Wednesday morning Usagi woke with Naruto at 8:00 but otherwise took time to pamper herself with a hot bath and loud music. It was so blissful. At breakfast, Iruka had grilled some fish and prepared natto, which no one but himself ate. The television in the living room had been turned onto the news, and they listened in silence as they ate for anything alarming. Food and fuel prices were expected to rise 20% by the New Year, but otherwise the news was filled with nothing but early-morning gossip and fashion tips.
Eventually, when Iruka sported a clear plate, he informed Usagi that he had arranged her a meeting with Headmaster Sarutobi. Usagi nearly choked on a fish bone. "Maybe I don't want to go to school," she replied sourly. "Maybe I would just rather get a job like back home."
"You can't mean that. Your education should be your top priority right now. Besides, you're too young to be worrying about work."
"I learned enough when I was home schooled."
Jiraiya gruffly added, "Back when I could hire you a tutor. No one has the time or money to teach you now, girl. It's best you just suck in your gut and go."
Naruto agreed she should attend his school wholeheartedly, if for no other reason than they could see more of each other. Usagi could spit on Iruka-the-fucking-busy-body for all she cared, but to make Naruto happy she agreed. Her brother would probably be the death of her... Moreover, how was she supposed to attend a school with no identity? Didn't Iruka know what sort of danger that would be putting them all in to have her existence in Japan publicized in such a way? If the Pervert thought that it wouldn't be an issue, however, then Usagi would just have to trust his judgement.
Besides, with her attitude she predicted to be expelled before Golden Week.
With clothes she could actually been seen wearing in public - Usagi tagged along with Naruto to Konoha Senior High School. Naruto tried to help his sister remember the way by pointing out landmarks - the train station, Ichiraku Ramen, his favorite porn store - but both knew it was pointless. Usagi would never be able to navigate anywhere on her own. Despite this and the stacking snow that she was beginning to despise, the female twin thoroughly enjoyed relearning her brother's favorite places. Architecturally, Konoha was a beautiful city with its lavish western stone buildings mixed among more traditional wooden eastern dwellings, and plentiful lush green parks filled with trees and birds. It was extremely clean like most Japanese cities; the air was clear of pollution, probably because of the cleansing filter-effect provided by the Kyushu mountains to the west and the Hyuuganada Sea to the east.
On arrival Naruto reluctantly dropped his twin sister at the main office and headed to homeroom. His loving bear hug attracted a lot of attention. Upon meeting Headmaster Sarutobi, Usagi's initial impression was that she had never seen a more ancient man that was not retired; liver spots covered more of his body that actual clear skin. He didn't question her punkish choice of attire, or the gauges in her ears. Just smiled and smoked at a pipe. She was one-hundred-percent sure that smoking was illegal on school grounds. Usagi definitely liked the old guy. Saruboti asked average questions like her plans after school ("open a tavern, I guess? Hell, I have no idea. No way I could tolerate college"), hobbies ("music, dance, I read books sometimes"), and studies of interest ("philosophy"). The two discussed potential solutions for her legal identity (or lack there-of) issue.
After all the formalities and a few oldy-but-goody jokes, Sarutobi gave his words of encouragement. "Most the staff here remember your parents fondly. They were friends, colleagues... some even your father's students. Do not doubt that we are your allies." Sarutobi's voice was gruff from smoking and steady despite age. There was a moment's pause as he let the meaning of his words - as they were very heavy with many meanings - sink in. He chewed subtly on the mouthpiece of his pipe out of habit. "There is a lot you could stand to learn from joining our family here... if you will allow us to teach you."
Usagi didn't really wantto attend high school. Quite honestly, she didn't even see a point in it. Certainly having an identity could hurt her in the future if she needed to lay low or run. What did Konoha Senior High School have to offer Usagi? Allies? Yes, she supposed she could use all the friends she could find in these times. If the other faculty members were anything like the headmaster then it couldn't be so bad. Perhaps someone here that knew her father had information on his RFID chips...
Usagi agreed to attend the school, but "I can't promise to stay out of trouble." Sarutobi chuckled, claiming it was only expected of Uzumaki Naruto's sister. A new identity and documents were forged for Usagi on the spot. The papers would stay strictly inside the school, used only for the occasion that Usagi wished to attend university after all. The caucasian girl wondered not for the first time that day exactly what kind of teachers were these that so easily broke the law. Not that she cared at all for the law.
So as to at least be honest about her relation to Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Usagi was now "legally" to be known as "Uzumaki Naruko".
/
Looming over the residential districts of Konoha was a mountain with a prominent cliff-face. Ten-story commercial buildings from the eighties blocked the view of the cliff itself, but from almost anywhere in the lower levels of the city one could see the trees dotting the top of the mountain. In the warmer months these trees would be full of refreshing greens, but now were barren of all but snow. There was no road leading to the top of this mountain from the city, only countless stone steps masoned into the side of the cliff zig-zagging to the top. Rising just over the top of some of the trees could be seen a ornate traditional Japanese roof. Native Japanese living in Konoha know this roof to belong to the city's Shinto shrine complex dedicated to their patron gods Susano'O, Amaterasu, and Tsukuyomi. The shrine's services were paid for almost entirely by the Uchiha family, as it had long-ago been believed these gods themselves gave the Uchiha ancestors the lands on which modern Konoha sat as a reward for their piety.
The irony of Namikaze Usagi wanting to meet him at this particular location was not lost on Itachi.
Every year the entire Uchiha family would don traditional garb clad in their family crest and make a procession up the many stone steps and into the main temple, where they would systematically make material offerings to the three patron gods. These offerings were thought to win the god's favor in maintaining the Uchiha's influence and power over both Konoha and Japan as a whole. This day was called Uchiwa no matsuri. Since the destruction of the family no one performed the ritual any longer; Sasuke had been too young to remember it and Itachi did not believe in winning divine favor for a corrupt name. The CEO did not much less even believe in divinity! The photographic memories of the rituals were disturbing to Itachi, and he rather wished he did not have to return to the shrine at all, let alone climb the heart-hollowing steps.
Upon reaching the top of the mountain he noticed only shrine maidens milling about, performing their daily chores, none of them blonde or caucasian. Time was certainly not the issue: the sun was setting over Mount Osuzu to the west, which at this time of year meant it was 18:00. Itachi asked a blushing shrine maiden if she had seen someone of Usagi's description to which her demeanor changed quickly to contempt, "Oh yes, the gaijin. Last I saw she was in the graveyard, making a muck of the offering boxes. I doubt she even knows what they're for!" Itachi left the inappropriately racist girl for the graveyard to find that she had been correct. Several rows in, crammed in between countless vertical stone slabs printed with kanji, was the petite golden-haired girl he had been looking for, kneeling in front of a grave with rag in hand.
While he was curious to see who she was visiting, Itachi thought to take in her appearance before she noticed his presence. Any photo or video he had seen of Namikaze Usagi did not properly portray her image in-person. From their one brief video chat he had thought her childish looking and simple. Naruto's phone resolution was worse than he had thought, because those notions were utterly incorrect. Her frame was thin but one could tell it was from starvation, as otherwise her skin was naturally tan and legs muscular like that of an athlete. She was tall for her age, although not nearly as tall as him, perhaps the top of her head would reach his collar bone. The oddly fitting pigtails were still there, but now he could see they were carefully tied by ribbons of black lace; they looked very neat despite the rough fashion of frayed shorts (in the snow?) and Led Zeppelin band hoodie. Usagi turned her face Itachi's way slightly to look at a spot of moss on the tombstone, revealing her sharp Victorian features but soft, large cerulean eyes surrounded in thick, blonde tipped eyelashes. No make-up; it wasn't necessary.
Even for someone who grew up in an asiacentric household, Itachi thought Usagi was pretty. Perhaps even beautiful, given a few more years and a gain of twenty pounds or so.
The analysis was cut short when Usagi finally saw him from her peripheral vision. Her expression was surprised momentarily as she looked as if she might say something, but then it was replaced with an unreadable look before finally saying in Japanese, "It's about damn time, Major Dick. Pick up a rag and help me." She gestured to a plastic convenience store bag laying in the dirt path that had been cleared of snow before resuming her cleaning, the opening from which Itachi spotted washcloths and food items. Beside her knees was a public bathhouse pan filled with soap and water. Not wanting to ruffle her feathers anymore before he made his case, and being grateful for the sign of goodwill, Itachi made his way toward the bag when he finally saw the names on the joint tombstones. The CEO froze.
Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina
Usagi was allowing him near her parents' graves? To clean them even? Perhaps, having lived in the States since such a young age, she did not know the significance of who cleans whose graves. He doubted she would be so ignorant. What was she trying to say? Uchiha Itachi figured then that he was being tested and would have to tread carefully to prove himself. "...Am I allowed? It's not Ohakamairi, and I have no kaimyo or offering..."
With the same unreadable voice as before she answered, "I have offerings you can use unless you would rather leave. You could do that, too. Won't hurt my feelings any."
"No," Itachi said, "I would prefer to stay." The intention was definitive, but it came out as bland as all his statements. It was something he had trained himself to do years ago. Whether or not she could hear any conviction in his voice, he hoped at the very least she could see it in his actions. Retrieving a peach colored washcloth from the bag then dipping it into the bathhouse pan, Itachi began cleaning Kushina's grave. As he worked black grime stained the cloth, giving way to the granite stone underneath. Moss and vines deprived of their foliage for the winter months climbed up the sides. They would need to be torn away. "They look like they haven't been cleaned in quite a while. Does Naruto ever come here?"
"Graves are too depressing for Naruto. He pays his respects in other ways..." Usagi let her sentence trail off, pink lips pressing together in such a way that said she would rather not say more on the subject. He decided he would wait until she was ready to say whatever it was she wanted. They spent the better part of thirty minutes in silence, only cleaning and tearing apart weeds that had survived the harsh frigid weather. Eventually after the dirt and debris were dealt with, Usagi pulled the plastic bag towards herself and tossed to Itachi from it a bag of Jalapeno flavored potato chips. Now his open stare was obvious to her a sign of confusion, to which she commented, "Jiraiya said those were Mom's favorite. There's incense in here, too."
With a quirk of his eyebrow he retrieved said incense and lit it, making the obligatory gestures and prayer for an offering, which is what he assumed she was getting at. The smell of lavender and spice spread, and Itachi knew the smoke would linger on his clothes for days. After he finished with the ritual - curious as to why she would do it at all - he noticed food still left in the bag. "Who liked melon milk?" he asked jovially to which he was answered with a short and sweet, "It's mine. American convenience stores suck." Usagi placed a red Rome apple on Minato's grave.
Several minutes again went by until finally she seemed satisfied enough to sit in the path facing Itachi, legs tucked inside her hoodie. "I brought you here Major Dick because you apparently want to atone or some superstitious BS like that. If that's what you want then take it up with them," she roughly jerked her head towards her parents' tombstones, "but it has nothing to do with me."
Well this was not what Itachi expected to happen. "You say I'm being superstitious but you want me to talk to ashes and blocks of granite? Exactly what do you believe, Namikaze?"
"I believe you think I can save you from yourself," she retorted sharply, "But guess what, bucko! If you think redemption comes in a confessional then you're looking for religion. In case you didn't read that chapter, anti-statism and religion don't exactly mix." The teenage girl was frustrated and angry and probably very frightened inside and looked to be having trouble keeping it there whereas she had done so well for the past hour. It was starting to show itself now in the way her shoulders rose and face pinched. Itachi found it difficult to think of her as a petulant teenager, however. Usagi had just a moment ago been so perceptive and showed wisdom beyond her years, even if it was hidden by spite. Itachi realized that he had probably gone too far by referring to what was left of her parents just "ashes and granite".
"I owe you the truth. You may call that redemption if you wish but that was not my intention."
"Well go on then! Spill your self-serving guts if you want." Her face was still pinched and painful, so she looked away from him, "Just do it over there!"
There were a few minutes that he just stared at the girl. Whether or not he realized it himself, Itachi was a deeply empathetic person. They had just met this week but seeing her pain made him think of the pain he had probably caused to countless others; he relived the pain each memory brought him. By now the light of the sun could no longer be seen over Mount Osuzu and the temperature had dropped to unbearably freezing. The warm smoke lifting from the sticks of incense provided some relief, but the added nip told that snow would be falling by morning. He watched her shake but did not know if it was from the cold or oncoming angry tears he could see. It truly bothered her conscience to be here with Uchiha Itachi the CEO.
Perhaps he could help her become more comfortable with just Itachi the human being.
Before turning to the husband and wife tombstones, Itachi removed his trench coat and laid it gingerly on Usagi's lap. He did not see her open gape because he was bowing in the traditional style for grave apology: both knees and nose to the ground. Itachi knew that in the months and years that had passed he had humiliated himself in many ways, but none so worth the embarrassment. He spoke in English, the language of Minato and Kushina's homelands.
"You and your children have suffered much because of my family. There is no one left alive that can count all the transgressions but myself, so I have chosen to assist in bringing about the world that you imagined." Taking a deep but silent breath, Itachi steeled himself to recount all that he could remember aloud. All the things Madara made him do but Itachi did not have the courage to protest... pay for several hit men for assassinations, blackmail countless businesses and journalists, sell weapons to dictators and warlords, even trafficked illegal drugs to countries that couldn't even afford to feed themselves. Itachi had dined with thousands of corrupt politicians and greedy corporate leaders, all begging for benefits from Uchiha Corp. Many of them received what they asked for, none were beneficial to their constituents, consumers, or employees. Itachi told Usagi and her parents briefly of all these things.
Delicately, a soft question arose from behind him, "What made you want to change?" The unexpected query led Itachi's coal black eyes to his left, where they met with Usagi's imploring sky ones. He was surprised to find her wrapped in his trench coat, having expected her to toss it aside. Instead of answering her directly, which even he felt would be awkward, he sat up and looked back at the ever-listening stones.
"Minato, the book you gave your daughter found its way to me in the strangest of ways. When I read it I felt that your ambitions were only plausible, but... your will lives so strongly in your daughter that by reading her additions to your words I knew it was all possible."
Were Itachi to look up in that moment he would find the younger girl buried in his trench coat blushing. Usagi regained her composure quickly and asks with the tenacity of a journalist, "Uchiha Madara... he's the real leader behind Uchiha Corporation?" "Yes. He's... the person who orchestrated killing the Uchiha family." He did not wait for her gasp to conclude before he continued. "Madara staged a car accident on the day of Uchiwa no matsuri. The wreck itself killed several people, but the survivors were killed by hit men my uncle hired. Madara kept me alive because my father left the company to me in his will and specifically wrote Madara out. ...Sasuke was spared as well... as blackmail, to keep me in line." Itachi fought not to suck in a sharp breath himself. "Sasuke just thinks it was a horrible traffic accident. I've done everything to keep him safe but... last night he came home and said he would call the police on me." Itachi chuckled humorlessly. "He even threatened me not to come see you. If I can save him from the world Madara probably wants to create, then I suppose losing him this way is the best I can hope for."
Things were so still and silent that one might think Usagi fell asleep or left until Usagi surprised Itachi by appearing right beside him with a melon milk. "Duckbutt is a fucking idiot," she declared as-a-matter-of-fact before she shoved the glass bottle into his hands. She sat so close to his left that he tried looking at her face but only saw the crown of her golden head. By staring at her parents' names carved in stone she seemed to be conversing with herself, perhaps pretending in her heart that she was delegating with the two people that brought her into this broken world. A conclusion was reached, as she turned her head up to Itachi and smiled just enough to disarm the young Japanese man. "When I was really little, I heard Mom tell Dad that all their friends were enemies. When I was old enough to care I asked Jiraiya what she meant... he said it meant they were masters of 'forgive and forget'. It's probably why they died but... Iruka hated them when they became co-workers. If they hadn't had befriended him who knows who Naruto's godparent would have been." Sneakily she tugged on his ponytail (is that something Americans did? He had always been taught to keep his hands to himself) before adding, "I think they would have liked you, Major Dick."
The young man's heart shuddered and broke inside and he knew that for now he did not have the heart to tell her how her father had actually died. Usagi knew he had been murdered but... Jiraiya had informed Itachi that he had always lied to her, told her that investigators never found out who did the deed. For now he would keep Jiraiya's secret safe. Eventually, however, he would certainly gain the courage to give her the entire truth. For now he wold have to concentrate on first forming an alliance with the teenage American girl.
"I want to know about you," he therefore insisted.
"...hmmm. I believe you care for Sasuke and that's enough. Really doesn't matter what I think, anyway. Unless there's a fire fight or a music video I'm pretty useless."
Odd. Those were certainly two completely different things.
"Isn't every person necessary, Namikaze? Didn't you say that in response to Minato's refute to eugenics?" Itachi stood, deciding it was late. He had a feeling Usagi had not told her family where she was going or how late she would be out. This went unspoken, but he felt that he had some semblance of her trust now; they were not enemies in her eyes any longer. They had a mutual understanding that they could rely on each other as allies in the future, something of which everyone in the movement could use. Itachi held his hand out to the girl still sitting in the dirt path, now huddled in his coat like an igloo, "Can I give you a ride to your home? I'm sure it's a long walk from here." She let him help her up then quickly let go of his hand.
'No' would have been a more predictable response than what the blonde came up with.
"On one condition. This time I want to make a deal," she stated surely. Now that he could see her face again, he was amazed by the sudden determination adorning it. All her emotions were so visible and open. This was a covenant she would not let him refuse. "Everything you do, everywhere you go concerning this movement, I want to know about it. I might trust you now more than I did five minutes ago but still not enough to completely let you off the hook." Leaning on her tiptoes into him leaving their faces only inches apart she nearly hissed, "If you sabotage or betray us I'll make sure I'm the first one with a Uchiwa .45 pistol to your balls. Non-aggression principle be damned."
"I understand," Itachi deadpanned expressionlessly, although inside her vulgar threat had him feeling very strange, "And I agree to your terms. So I am to contact you then?" She pushed off his chest, face flushed. Perhaps the cold was too much for Usagi, even with the extra winter-wear. Who wore shorts at this time of year anyway? Itachi thought he should really get the frail girl home soon before her immune system was affected. Without warning she picked up her remaining melon milk and cleaning supplies, and began waddling down the path towards the shrine entrance. Refusing yet again to look his way for whatever reason, Usagi called out over her shoulder to him, "DUH! You have my number if you know how to use a phone. Just don't say anything important over the line since it's not safe." Although she couldn't see it he nodded in understanding and followed after her in silence with his own unopened melon milk until he realized something.
"I should lead. You don't even know which car is mine."
"DUCK DUCK GOOSE MOTHER FUCKER."
What was that even supposed to mean?
Uchiha Itachi was now aware of the fact that Namikaze Usagi was probably one of the most interesting people he had ever met.
Simultaneously, Uchiha Itachi was not yet aware he had just made the best deal of his life.
/
Itachi dropped Usagi off a few blocks from her house as Itachi had warned her that Naruto would flip his lid if he saw them together this late at night, regardless of the circumstances. The last thing either of them wanted - they agreed - was to cause unrest when their own relations were still so uncertain. Usagi returned Itachi's trench coat upon exiting, as it would only cause more suspicion. Once inside everyone quizzed her about her whereabouts - especially Sasuke who apparently was moving into Iruka's house (go figure) - to which she consistently answered that she went grave cleaning. No need to lie.
The three teenagers prepared for sleep. This time Naruto claimed the bed for himself leaving his sister and best-friend to fight over who got what sheets and where to make their pallets. In the end they decided to share a comforter for cushion, having their own covers on top. Usagi didn't know how she felt about sleeping beside Sasuke considering the huge bomb of a secret she had learned today. Part of her had always feared sleep-talking out vital information. Another part of her wanted to scold Sasuke for not giving Itachi a chance to explain himself. The smart side of her stayed hush-hush, turned away from Sasuke in her sleep. When Aniki was ready to tell Baby Sasuke he would and that was up to him alone.
Later in the night she would be awoken by her phone beeping, and a simple message from 'MajorDickthePrick' reading,
Thank you.
/
This took several weeks longer than I had originally thought. However, through all the writer's block and the phrase rage I am actually pleased how this chapter came out of the most part. The last two sections are especially pleasing to me considering I've been trying to figure out what exactly Itachi and Usagi had to say to one another without making it too cardboard.
There's a LOT of culture specific information in this chapter. If you need help figuring any of it out you can either Google it or shoot me a PM. Both are welcome.
Reviews are cool if you want. I'm honestly going to do my own thing either way.
NEXT CHAPTER: Usagi attends her first day at school and something is done about those dreadful tanks.