(5 years later)
Shisui couldn't stop looking at his two peers - Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Itachi. Both of them had matured over the years, more than Shisui could've asked for. The two of them became like brothers, much to Shisui's surprise. They were like siblings from different fathers.
'They became good friends... No, rather rivals is the correct word.' Thought Shisui
Naruto and Itachi were currently eating a popsicle. Shisui started walking closer to them, but his happiness quickly washed away. That's because the Uchiha had been acting lately. Shisui and Itachi already knew what this fuss was about. The Legendary Clan felt like The Village has been stripping them from their power and they decided it would be "good" to try and execute a coup d'etat.
'I need to tell Itachi that the situation has gotten only worse...' thought Shisui sadly as he got closer to the two.
"Shisui-nii-san!" shouted Naruto. Naruto learned to look at Shisui as his big brother over the time they spent together.
"Naruto. How's it been?" said Shisui with a voice mixed with happiness and kindness.
"It's been great. Itachi and I were just talking about jutsu he was going to teach me," replied Naruto. Shisui smiled at this, he felt like he was stupid and a little scared.
Even though Naruto didn't show it now, he was much like Itachi. When the situation called, he turned on his better "self". He was like a copy of him. Shisui wasn't sure
Konoha could take two of Itachi's kind.
"It's good to hear, but I came to talk business with Itachi," said Shisui.
Itachi just sighed. He already knew why Shisui would come to them.
"Does that mean you would go to talk in private?" asked Naruto. Such talks were often a thing between the two. He always wanted to know what they talked about, but they brushed him off.
Shisui sighed. It was time to tell Naruto the truth, he knew it would be a tough pill to swallow, but he needed to know. He felt like shit just lying to him, and he could trust him.
"No. It's time you learn the truth," said Shisui, surprising Itachi.
"Shisui, is it wise?" asked Itachi.
"No need to keep him in the dark anymore. He has matured enough," replied Shisui.
"If you say so," said Itachi with a sigh.
"Naruto, the next thing I will tell you may shock you greatly, but keep your composure, just like we trained you, okay?" said/asked Shisui.
Naruto nodded.
"The Uchiha are planning a coup d'etat over the Third Hokage. Itachi is a double agent for the village and the clan, while I am a spy only for the village.
If this coup d'etat happens, a civil war will take place. Itachi and I are working together to stop it." explained Shisui, leaving the small details out.
Naruto remained stoic as if Shisui didn't tell him anything.
"May I speak?" asked Naruto.
"What's on your mind?" replied Itachi in place of Shisui.
"Is that why The Hokage and the Uchiha clan have been acting strangely lately?" asked Naruto again.
Both Itachi and Shisui slightly widened their eyes in shock.
'Naruto... you truly are one of a kind.' were the kind of thoughts that ran through the Uchiha cousins' heads.
"Yes. And now that you know such information, it's important that I reveal to you the secrets of the Sharingan before I continue with the plan for countering the coup d'etat. The three tomoe Sharingan isn't the final form of the doujutsu. There's another stage called the Mangekyou Sharingan."
'Mangekyou Sharingan...' thought Naruto.
"The Mangekyou Sharingan is said to be the most powerful doujutsu. It can control even Tailed Beasts. There are more things these eyes can do, but I'm not going to go into details. However the Mangekyou Sharingan does come with a price, to awaken the eyes, you have to experience something traumatic - such as watching your best friend die for example. That is why The Mangekyou Sharingan is a forbidden stage of the Sharingan. Many Uchiha went mad and started murdering those close to them to achieve such power." explained Shisui.
'These eyes seem to be more of a curse than a blessing' thought Naruto.
"So if you're telling me that the Mangekyou Sharingan is connected with your plan... that means that one of you has awakened it?" asked Naruto with narrowed eyes and a little worry.
"Yeah" replied Itachi.
"Let me guess... it's you Shisui, right?" asked Naruto
'He's able to see through anything we throw at him.'
"Yes, but how did you guess?" asked Shisui.
"You are the oldest, it only makes sense. You have the most experience from all three of us and you even fought in The Third Great Shinobi War. Not surprised if something happened there."
"Truly smart Naruto, but you got one part wrong. I didn't awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan in the war. I awakened it after."
Naruto nodded. Itachi was starting to feel a little worried, he wasn't sure if Naruto was going to try and obtain the eyes for power. You never know since he was an Uchiha too.
Naruto seemed to read Itachi's mind and answered the unasked question. "I have no interest in the Mangekyou Sharingan." They both hummed in response.
"Now to my plan. I plan on using the ability of my Mangekyou, Kotoamatsukami. It is the ultimate genjutsu where I can make a person not even realize he is even in a genjutsu. I can make him do something and he will think it is by his own will doing that. I can create, delete and edit memories. I plan on using it on Fugaku-sama during the clan meeting, making him believe that he no longer wants to throw a coup d'etat." explained Shisui.
"Hn" was the reply he got from Naruto.
"Do you think it's wise revealing to me such secrets?" asked Naruto.
"We trust you Naruto-kun," said Itachi as he remember the first time he trusted Naruto.
(Flashback 5 years ago)
"Do you hate me?" asked Naruto.
Itachi thought and thought. He knew Naruto did nothing wrong so why would he hate him? He was just a human sacrifice.
"No I don't hate you Naruto-kun," answered Itachi with a smile.
"Really?" asked Naruto trying to see if Itachi was lying but he couldn't detect any lies.
"Yeah."
"That's good. Do you trust me?" asked Naruto.
"I do," replied Itachi.
"Now, I want you to look surprised if The Hokage reveals anything I shouldn't know, take the Kyuubi as an example. Okay?" asked Naruto.
"Okay," replied Itachi.
"Great. Now let's go."
"Hokage-sama." greeted Itachi as he and Naruto entered his office.
"Itachi. It's good that Naruto found some friends." pondered Hiruzen out loud.
Itachi nodded and Naruto smiled.
"Itachi is it possible if you to leave me and Naruto to have a private chat?" asked The Third.
"Yes, sir" replied Itachi.
"No! I want him here! Whatever you have to tell me, you tell Itachi too!" said Naruto in an impulsive, energetic voice. His personality completely changed.
'A mask?' thought Itachi carefully. Naruto wasn't himself around the Third, which means he doesn't really trust him.
"Okay, Naruto, but I want to tell you in person first, then if you want you can tell Itachi," said Hiruzen.
Naruto sighed, "Okay."
Itachi left the room with a bow of respect, leaving him alone with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
A little over a minute passed as Itachi heard screaming and shouting coming from the Hokage office and knocked on the door before opening it. What he saw shocked him greatly.
He saw a crying Naruto hugging the Hokage. He was sobbing like he never cried before.
"Naruto do you want Itachi to know your secret?" asked The Hokage in a calm and kind voice.
After what seemed like an eternity Naruto whispered. "Yeah..."
"Itachi, Naruto is the Kyuubi jinchuriki. I really hope you wouldn't treat him like the rest of the villagers."
Itachi quickly remembered what he talked about with Naruto and purposely widened his eyes. He left his mouth gape opened. But he thought a little about the Hokage's words.
He knew how Naruto awakened his Sharingan since Shisui told him, and he knew that the villagers hated() him. He also heard rumors about Naruto murdering a group of civilians, so he went to ask Shisui about it and got the truth of him. Frankly, Itachi hated fighting, if he wasn't such an important figure, he would've never become a shinobi.
But now he had a friend he needed to protect. Itachi quickly returned to his casual features before smiling.
"It's okay, Hokage-sama, Naruto is my friend and I would never do anything to hurt him," said Itachi and the Hokage nodded.
"Naruto, you may go. Itachi, stay here."
Naruto left and Itachi looked at the Hokage seriously.
"Please look after him." said The Hokage in a sweet tone with a smile. A smile which Itachi gladly returned.
"Don't worry Hokage-sama. I will() look after him."
(Flashback end)
Itachi looked at Naruto, over the last 5 years he felt as close to him as Sasuke and he was his full-blooded brother. But, he didn't only see him as a brother, rival too. He could still remember their "friendly" spars that would take part every now and then. While most of them were draws, Itachi was leading with a single win.
The day the two of them became friends was also the day they started teaching him elemental manipulation.
(Flashback)
"So Naruto, now that your Sharingan matured I can start teaching you Elemental Manipulation." said Shisui alongside Itachi.
Naruto merely hummed.
Shisui acknowledged it and took three sheets of perfectly square thin papers from his pocket. Naruto looked at them knowingly.
"This is C-" Shisui was interrupted by Naruto.
"Chakra paper."
"You are right but don't interrupt me!" said Shisui annoyed.
"I guess if you know chakra paper, then you know what elemental natures are?" added Itachi in a question.
"Yes, I know. And I've heard that if the paper burns - Fire nature, shrink - Lightning, slit - Wind, crumble - Earth, and soak - Water. "
"As always, sharp I see. You're right," said Shisui.
Shisui handed a piece of chakra paper to Naruto and he took it. He poured a bit of chakra into the paper and what happened next surprised even Naruto. The paper sliced in two, one half shrunk and the other one burnt, both of them simultaneously. Itachi choked on the air around him and Shisui was as if he saw a ghost.
"I'm pretty awesome, huh!" said Naruto sheepishly.
"Idiot! Do you even know how rare is that!" shouted Shisui.
"Not exactly sure... very?" asked Naruto.
"Very, very rare," replied Itachi getting over his shock.
"That's good... Itachi and I can help you master your Fire and I know a guy that can help you with your Lightning and another with your wind nature," said Shisui finally.
'I wonder what future awaits you Naruto' deeply thought Itachi.
