Her Face
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.
Chapter 15
"You really shouldn't be fighting, when you're pregnant." Sasuke points out.
"Fugaku already told you? I'll have to have to speak to him about that. I wanted both of us to tell you together." The Uchiha woman says with a sigh.
Sasuke nods dumbly. He wasn't sure what else there was to say. His mother had just temporarily put Orochimaru in something resembling a coma. Honestly, he had no idea that his mother could use the Tsukuyomi. Let alone that Mikoto Uchiha was capable of such savagery.
He remembered his mother as a kind woman who enjoyed baking cookies. She was the Clan's Matriarch and a doting housewife. The woman that he remembered certainly would never have made snake skinned boots out of Manda's corpse.
"Yes, he told me. We should probably get back. I imagine that the Hokage will want to talk to both of us soon about what happened. It's unlikely that the Sannin aren't going to mention this to him." Sasuke states.
Mikoto sighs and nods in agreement. That much was true. Orochimaru had been Sarutobi's student. That was a powerful bond. One that wasn't easily forgotten. Sadly, that meant her maternal display was likely going to get her into trouble.
She didn't particularly care though. Daisuke was her son. Orochimaru had attacked him unprovoked. Of course, she was going to react!
"True. I'm still going to have a nice pair of boots though. That should remind Orochimaru what happens when he attacks an Uchiha." She says smugly as the two of them Flicker back the Uchiha District.
What they saw when they got there, surprised both of them. Hiashi and Emiko were speaking with Fugaku. The three of them appeared to be in rather deep conversation. Naturally, the mother and son became immensely curious.
"Ah Daisuke, you're back from your patrol. Mikoto, My Love, Hiashi and Emiko would like to join us for lunch today. You do not mind, do you?" Fugaku inquires.
Mikoto raises an eyebrow. Since when did the Hyuga Clan socialize with the Uchiha one? The two families were distantly related, but they had never acted like kin.
Personally, she believed that it was an informal rivalry because of the Byakugan and Sharingan. Though she digressed, this social visit was a rather unique occurrence. Truth be told, it made the young Matriarch feel more than a little uneasy.
"I don't mind at all. It's always nice to have guests for lunch. I'll see you later, Daisuke." Mikoto says to her son with a sweet smile.
Sasuke wasn't oblivious. He knew that in this timeline, "Daisuke" had no right to eat lunch with the Clan Heads. Sasuke did in the future, but Daisuke was another matter.
"Of course. Have a pleasant day, Lady Mikoto and Lord Fugaku. You as well Lord Hiashi and Lady Emiko." Sasuke states with a polite bow, before heading off.
"He seems like a nice boy." Emiko offers pleasantly.
Mikoto nods. This was a rather strange situation. The Uchiha woman was almost positive that no Hyuga had ever set foot in the Uchiha District before. Today, that had changed though. Two of them had.
"He is." Fugaku states with a smile of his own.
"Shall we go enjoy our lunch?" Hiashi inquires.
Fugaku and Mikoto nod in agreement as they lead the other couple inside. Thankfully, Mikoto had already prepared launch before her incident with Sasuke. It was a simple matter to reheat it with a Fire Jutsu while Fugaku pours them all some Sake.
"You have a beautiful home." Emiko says kindly.
"Thank you. We do try." Mikoto replies, unsure of how to respond to this unexpected overture by the Hyugas.
Hiashi sighs. He knew that this had to be terribly confusing for the two ninjas sitting across from them. Unfortunately, he also knew that his wife was right. They had to do this.
"I suspect that you are wondering why we have come here on this day." The Hyuga Patriarch says.
"It may have crossed my mind that the two of you didn't come here merely to enjoy my wife's wonderful culinary skills." The other man retorts.
Fugaku didn't like this in the slightest. The Hyugas in general were content to ignore the Uchihas and his Clan responded in kind. Why would Hiashi and Emiko be reaching out to them now?
"Your wife's culinary skills are impressive, but you're correct. That isn't the only reason why we came here today." Hiashi replies.
It was one thing for Mikoto and Emiko to be on friendly terms outside the District. That would only raises a few eyebrows, but was no cause for alarm. It was something else entirely for Emiko to bring her husband onto Uchiha Land.
Surely, the woman wouldn't take such a risk for a social visit. Emiko was far too smart to be that foolish. So he knew that there had to be another reason for their sudden appearance.
"We came here to warn you. Danzo seems rather concerned that Fugaku might be named Sarutobi's successor. He is a very ambitious man and easily jealous. He doesn't trust your Clan in the slightest. We have reason to fear that if you were offered such a position, Danzo would try to have you assassinated." Emiko says in a rush.
Hiashi nods in agreement as he observes the other married couple carefully. There was really no way to know how the two of them would respond to their warning. They might simply believe that he and Emiko were trying to trick them for all he knew.
"That sounds disturbingly plausible. Danzo has made no secret that he harbors nothing, but animosity towards our family." The Uchiha Patriarch says with a sigh.
He glances at his wife. Fugaku wanted to know what Mikoto thought of this entire situation. She was the Clan's Matriarch. That meant that she had a say in such things. A say equal to his.
"That much is most certainly true." Hiashi concedes.
He had never cared for Danzo all that much. He admired the man's intelligence and his dedication to the Leaf, but he wasn't a fool. The lavender eyed man was well aware that it was likely Danzo had committed horrible atrocities to keep the Leaf Village safe and would likely do so again.
"We appreciate your warning, but I wonder why you would extend it. If Danzo finds out that you told us this, he won't be pleased. That man's reach is quite far." Fugaku observes.
This was the part that Hiashi had been dreading. Fugaku wasn't oblivious. The man certainly understood that you didn't get something for nothing.
"I believe that my wife is correct. If Danzo is plotting against your Clan, what is to stop him from doing so to others? What is to stop the man from plotting against our family? It is in our best interest to find a way to curtail his ambitions sooner, rather than later." The Hyuga Patriarch replies cautiously.
Mikoto frowns and nods. She didn't think Hiashi was lying. The man was many things, but a liar was most certainly not one of them. He probably wasn't telling the whole truth either.
The Hyugas had warned them about a great potential danger. They were now in their debt. Someday, they would likely collect on that.
"A fair point. Is that all you wish to do though? You merely wish to notify us of the potential threat or do you mean to stand with us, if the worst comes to pass?" The Patriarch inquires.
He knew that was a gamble. Rarely, were Lords so direct with each other. Hiashi struck him as the type that might appreciate his frankness in this situation though.
"While we wouldn't relish the idea of going up against Danzo, the Hyuga Clan would not stand by and allow an innocent man to be slaughtered over one man's ambitions." The lavender eyed man assures him.
"Good. It means a great deal to us to hear you say that." Fugaku replies.
Meanwhile in the present, Hinata in her Clan's gardens when suddenly a barrage of images hit her. The images, sights, sounds, scents, and even the sensation of touch were overwhelming. They made her drop to her knees.
"Hinata, you needn't be so anxious. He agreed to enter this match. Just like you did. He's not being coerced into becoming your husband." Emiko told her with a smile as she brushed her eldest's daughter's long hair.
The act had always brought comfort to Hinata. She didn't really understand why. She always felt calmer when her mother brushed her hair, even though she was fully capable of doing it herself.
"He said yes out of duty. We barely know each other." The younger woman whispered.
"Well you're both the same age. You both care about your respective Clans. That's something at least. You aren't marrying a complete stranger and he is a handsome boy. Perhaps in the end your marriage will be based on something more than just duty." Emiko said as she finished brushing Hinata's hair.
Hinata nodded. She wasn't entirely convinced that her mother was right. Sasuke wasn't a bad person, but she just didn't know him that well. She couldn't believe that she was going to be his wife.
"I think I'm going to go make some tea." She mumbled.
"Good idea. It might calm your nerves." Emiko agreed as she kissed Hinata on the top of her head and let the other woman depart.
Hinata headed to the kitchen and began to make some tea. A few minutes later, she felt something slide onto her neck. She blinked and looked down.
It was a necklace. A beautiful necklace. One that was in the shape of the Uchiha Crest and made out of precious stones. That's when she felt lips pressed against her cheek and heard a man whisper into her ear.
"This wasn't what I had planned. I know that you know that there was another future that would have played out far differently than this one. I saw your letters that you wrote to yourself, but I will try to be a good husband to you." Sasuke murmured into her ear.
"That's how it happened or is going to happen." She whispered to herself.
It was an arranged marriage. She was going to be in an arranged marriage with Sasuke. A marriage that they had both agreed to for what seemed to be for political purposes.
Hinata touches her necklace as she tries to will her heart to stop pounding. The timelines must be getting closer. They had seen things, heard things, and now she was "remembering" things that hadn't even happened yet.
Unbeknownst to Hinata, she was far from the only Leaf Villager to be experiencing such a sensation. Kakashi was suddenly barreled over his desk as he experienced his own "memory." One that he knew that he had never lived.
"Kakashi, where's my wedding kimono sash?!" Obito demanded.
"It's in your hands?" The silver haired ninja replied with a chuckle as he turned another page in his book.
Obito was getting married today. He was getting married to Rin. The Jonin was his Best Man and was naturally relishing his role. He loved to drive the other ninja crazy and today, he was most certainly succeeding in that goal.
"Oh. Right. Well thanks!" Obito said as he tied the sash around his navy blue wedding kimono.
The Kimono was quite regal. It had the Uchiha Crest on the back and was made of the finest silk. Kakashi hated to admit it, but Obito looked good in his wedding kimono.
With that, the groomsmen all made their way outside. Uchihas tended to take their weddings very seriously and Obito's was no exception. It was all rather grand and because he was marrying Rin, there were flowers everywhere.
"She always did love flowers." The ninja whispered to himself.
Kakashi smiled as he watched them exchange their vows a short while later. Rin wore a beautiful matching navy blue wedding kimono with the crest also displayed on her back. Her sash was red, so were the roses in her bouquet.
His friends were deeply in love and were getting married. It was the perfect day. Well until Obito decided to be a jerk and tossed the garter belt straight at him. After that, Kakakshi had to dance with every single woman at the wedding. His feet were in utter agony the next morning because of Obito's stunt.
When Kakashi finally comes out of the daydream, he sees a picture on his desk. It was a wedding picture. What he had seen had been real or would be real.
"Is this really happening?" He wonders out loud.
Had Sasuke truly changed the timeline to such an extent. It seemed almost impossible to believe. Then again, this was Sasuke. Sasuke and Naruto both had a habit of accomplishing the impossible just to prove that they could.
"I hope that you known what you're doing, Sasuke." Kakashi whispers to himself.
Everyone's fate were currently in the hands of one missing Uchiha. Sasuke could literally be the salvation of many people or he could wind up getting them all killed. It was all up to him now.
"The fate of the world is once again in the hands of a teenager, just like during the war. God help ups all." The Hokage says as he pours himself another glass of wine.
Back in the past, the Hyugas had just left the Uchiha District. Immediately, Sasuke races inside his family's house. He wanted to know what was going on and he wanted to know now.
"What happened? What'd they want?" Sasuke asks.
"They believe a man called Danzo may be plotting against us. The Hyugas seem fairly convinced that Danzo will only make a move, if one of our own is chosen by Sarutobi to be his successor. Hiashi and Emiko believe that if it that were to happen, Danzo would orchestrate an assassination." Mikoto whispers.
Sasuke blinks. Apparently, Danzo's scheming had started early. Actually, it had probably never stopped. The man had probably been born a viper.
"I see. Why would the Hyugas warn you though?" Sasuke asks in confusion.
Fugaku sighs. He had wondered that very same thing and now he had a pretty good idea why they had acted so out of character. There was more than one reason of course, but one stuck out in particular.
"It concerns them that Danzo would move against a Clan. They're worried that Danzo might target them next. That and obviously, Hiashi enjoys knowing that I am now in his debt. It's a smart move from that perspective. A gamble, but it could pay off." The Uchiha Patriarch explains.
"You mean he's willing to risk Danzo's wrath, if it means you'll owe him a favor later on." Sasuke says.
His father could only nod in confirmation and Sasuke sighs in response. Well it was probably a good thing. After all, what was the worst that the Hyugas could ask for later on?
"Well it's a start. We really should try to forge alliances with other Clans. The wedding was a good start, but we should do more than that. Weddings don't come around often enough to make a significant difference in relations between us and the rest of the Leaf." Sasuke reasons.
Mikoto's and Fugaku's eyes narrow. Daisuke was very insistent about making nice with people outside their Clan. They might not know exactly what had happened in the future, but the pieces were starting to fall together.
Something had happened between the Uchiha Clan and the rest of the Leaf. Something bad. Bad enough to make Daisuke feel that Time Travel was an acceptable risk.
"Are you ever going to tell us what happened?" Mikoto asks softly.
"I'm sorry, mother. I can't risk it. You know that I can't. I don't want you to worry though. It's bad for you and the baby." Sasuke points out.
Mikoto sighs and nods. After doing so, she kisses Daisuke's forehead. She hated this. She hated that her own child had to keep secrets from her to keep their family safe, but he did.
"You should probably get some rest. I hear the Sensei Training Program is rather intensive." The Uchiha Matriarch warns him with a sly smile.
"Yes, mother. Goodnight, father. Goodnight, mother." Sasuke says as he departs for his apartment.
Fugaku sighs once he was out of earshot. Mikoto didn't know the truth. He had failed the boy in some way. Apparently, a fairly major way.
That was one thing that he hoped his wife would never find out. Fugaku didn't count it as keeping a secret from her. Not really. It hadn't happened yet. He still had time to make things right between him and Daisuke.
"He's a good boy. I think he's trying to give us clues." Fugaku says.
"I think so as well. Do we have anymore cabbage left?" Mikoto asks.
"Pregnancy cravings are a strange things. Cabbage? Wait. Nevermind. We do. I'll go get you some." Fugaku says as he walks off to help his wife satisfy her strange craving.
Mikoto smiles as she waits for her husband to return. It was nice knowing that he didn't mind indulging her. She knew that he didn't really understand the power of pregnancy cravings, but well at least he was trying.
Meanwhile Obito was out by the lake, just as the Sun was beginning to set. He was skipping rocks with Rin. The young Uchiha was trying to show her the proper way to skip them when Shisui Flickered into view.
"Hi!" He says brightly with a smile.
"He's really good at the Body Flicker Technique." Rin observes with a giggle.
"Yeah. He is. Hey, Shisui. You want to skip some rocks with us?" Obito asks.
Shisui beams and toddles over to his friends. The three children were happily skipping rocks, unaware that they were being watched. They were being watched by three members of ROOT.
"Should we grab them?" One whispers.
"No. Now isn't the time. First, Lord Danzo must curry favor with other Noble Clans. Make them agree with him that the Uchihas are a threat. Once that's done, then we can grab some Uchihas and that will be the spark needed. After that, it will be a simple matter to fan the flames of hatred and even Sarutobi won't be able to argue that they're dangerous." The second whispers back.
Shisui pauses skipping rocks and tilts his head to the side. It was strange. He heard voices, but he couldn't tell where they were coming from.
"What's the matter, Shisui?" Rin asks him.
"Voices. Someone else is here." The little boy says as he scrunches up his nose in concentration.
He had to figure out where the voices were coming from. They didn't sound friendly. What was going on?
The ROOT Members heard that and quickly departed. There was no way that they were going to get caught by kids. Lord Danzo would never forgive them, if they made such a rookie mistake.
"Alright. Be careful. Let's have a look." Obito says as he grabs his kunai set and Rin does the same, before the three of them scan the area.
About ten minutes later, the children decide that Shisui must have imagined things. There was no one there. It was a bit weird, but Rin and Obito figure that it was just something that Shisui's overactive imagination had conjured up.
"It's getting a bit late. I should probably head home." Rin says.
"Yeah. Okay. I'll see you tomorrow?" Obito asks hopefully.
After all, it was a rare day that he got to spend with Rin without Kakashi around. He was pretty sure that Kakashi knew that he liked Rin and that was why he did it. That jerk!
"Yeah! Cya!" Rin calls out as she scurries off.
"Alright, Shisui. Let's head home." Obito says with a smile and the two Uchihas dash off towards the Uchiha District.
When they got there, they were greeted by Aiya and Kenji. Obito and Shisui were a little nervous about that. Had they really stayed out that late? Uh oh. Were they in trouble?
"There you two are. Come along now. I made lamb for dinner. You two need to be more careful now. There are bad people lurking about the village. Don't go anywhere without an adult. Alright?" Aiya asks.
Obito frowns. That was odd. Aiya had never given him that warning before. That meant that something had happened.
Had Shisui actually heard something, after all? Were bad people watching them while they were skipping rocks? Why would they do that though? It didn't make any sense.
"I like lamb!" Shisui exclaims.
"Who doesn't?" Kenji asks with a chuckle as he affectionately ruffles the child's hair.
"What's going on? Who are the bad people?" Obito asks.
Kenji and Aiya sigh as they hug the two wayward children closely. Neither ninja wanted to frighten them, but it was important to warn them. The married couple had only been briefed by Fugaku and Mikoto about the unsettling situation with Danzo.
Sadly, neither of them would put it past Danzo to have hired thugs have a go at children. The man would do anything to keep the village "safe." It didn't matter if the threat was real or imaginary. He would take action.
"It's a very long story. There will be a Clan Meeting about it soon to explain it more. Come on. We wouldn't want dinner to get cold." Aiya says.
Shisui was only four. That was why he didn't hesitate at all to take Aiya's hand and be lead off to dinner. If the adults thought everything was okay for now, then it probably was.
Obito didn't have that luxury. At seven, he was just old enough to realize that something serious was going on. He was also old enough to realize that even if adults acted normal, that didn't necessarily mean everything was okay.
"Obito, are you coming?" Kenji calls out to him.
"Yes! I'm coming!" The Uchiha boy says as he follows the ninja couple and Shisui inside the house.
The adults apparently weren't going to tell him anything yet. Maybe, he'd find out something at the meeting. If not though, he was going to get all the other kids together and they would find out what was going on.
Adults really needed to stop treating kids like babies. They weren't babies. They could handle the truth! They were smart and strong too! The only difference was that they were littler.
"This looks yummy!" Shisui says happily.
"I certainly hope so." Aiya replies with a smile as she sets the table and they all settle down to eat.