A few candles at the alter provided sparse lighting. Even so, the room's occupants maintained complete clarity of vision.

They in fact excelled at combat under the barest light. Many present took part in the infamous night raids the Uchiha clan performed during the Third Shinobi War, crippling the supply lines of Kumogakure, and otherwise terrorizing their encampments. Setting blaze to stockpiles of grain, weapon shipments, and medical supplies. They had even circumvented Kumo's attempts to bypass them through naval channels, skillfully lighting flames on the surface of seawater.

The Wall of Fire, it was named, for nothing made it through un-singed. This left Kumo quite incapable of executing its plan to pincer Konoha.

Halting Kumo's advance has been widely agreed by strategists on all sides of the war, and taught in the Konoha shinobi academy, as one of the chief contributions to Konoha's indelible victory. Keeping pressure off the western front allowed Konoha to isolate and engage Iwa, shortly thereafter decisively ending their involvement in the war.

This was accomplished by rapidly decimating Iwa personnel, removing the village's capability to participate due to shortage of functional and qualified shinobi. A feat technically accomplished by an army, but largely, and not inaccurately, attributed to the only man whose mere presence compelled a retreat.

With Iwa removed, Konoha turned the momentum of its now unstoppable, churning war machine on Kumo exclusively, ultimately resulting in the death of the Sandaime Raikage.

Tsuichikage Onoki and the freshly appointed Raikage A's signatures on the armistice were dry before the last embers of the night raids had faded.

Uchiha Fugaku, the man who now sat before the altar, head of the prestigious clan, had lead those raids. Had ushered soldiers, Uchiha and otherwise, through the night and upon their foes. Had lit and stoked the Wall of Fire; he was uncertain if that name was a histrionic irony or if someone had deliberately mocked him with a play on words of that Senju philosophy.

Regardless, the dark in which he now found himself was comforting in its familiarity. And it well represented the collective mood of those gathered.

The same could not be said of the candles. Not any longer. The steadily building resentment his kinsman felt may once have been a small fire, but Konoha's most egregious offense to the clan had fanned generations of discontent into an inferno of outrage. One Fugaku was no longer certain he could contain… or if he even wanted to.

Itachi had never questioned him as they moved their belongings to this secluded section of the village, where they had been forcibly relocated. He simply assembled his little brother's crib in their new home, and lulled him to sleep. That child's eyes were so knowing. He understood without explanation.

Fugaku had no love of war. He now had the lives of two sons to consider with every decision. Every step, every action or inaction, would be their example to follow. They had fought to secure peace, and by all accounts, though the accords had been mutual, Konoha emerged the victors. Such as there were victories to be had in a war so bloody, so costly.

Every life under his responsibilities was precious to him. Even those of the ungrateful village his ancestors had founded. He would take no action, nor abide any action, that treated the risk of those lives lightly.

And no longer would he abide any action that disgraced them.

"I have been negligent in protecting us," Fugaku confessed. "Though many of you urged me to protest, I swallowed my tongue for the sake of peace."

He met the hardened, blood red eyes of several who had warned him throughout the years. Their plain anger roused his own, but the ire he witnessed was not directed at him, not entirely. Fugaku allowed their fires into himself, to feed his own. What he did not allow was for this flame to run rampant, and cause recklessness. As the leader, his head had to remain composed. The searing heat instead served to temper the steel of his mind.

"When my name was not put forth as a candidate for Hokage, I was honored by your support, by your indignation on my behalf. I allowed myself to be consoled that the chosen Yondaime would prove a powerful and able leader.

"Yet when when Minato tragically passed, Sarutobi did not select me to take up the mantle, but instead surrendered retirement to rule himself, despite his advanced age. He does not see me as fit for the role.

"When they demanded we seclude ourselves further, I acquiesced, and I allowed us to be herded into this shaded corner of the village like disowned cattle. Yet despite the lack of evidence, despite years without incident under constant surveillance, we remain under suspicion. My requests to recover our ancestral properties have been stonewalled and denied under claims of ongoing development. As others move in and profit from our losses.

"When our authority to investigate and arrest members of the ANBU was challenged and revoked, I bit my tongue until it bled.

"Concessions made and slights endured time and again for the benefit of the village. For the sake of keeping peace. We now find ourselves the neutered dogs of the Senju line of succession. The elders that lead our village, those two fossils that have clung to Sarutobi's coattails for decades, and that embittered cripple have taken that silence, have taken my compliance with their wishes, as permission to vilify and demean us.

"That compliance ends today.

"I will swallow no more bile. I will tolerate no more slights. We are the strongest in Konohagakure. And it is past time we recover the respect we are due."

He took in the unflinching, resolute expressions of those before him.

"However, this is not a decision to be made unilaterally; I must exercise the will of the clan. If we are to rise to action, it must be as a unified force. We must be of one mind in retaking our honor, or the effort is doomed to fail.

"It is here, tonight, that the future of the Uchiha will be decided by those present. The floor is open."

"Is there truly anything to discuss?" Inabi asked from the front row. A sour faced man with long bangs. He stood and looked back at the others.

"Look at us. Scurrying under a shrine as if we were insects in burrow. If the council are so certain that we are their enemies, then what else can we be?"

"But to betray Konoha…"

"This is not a betrayal," Fugaku said firmly, folding his arms. Many spines straightened. "We are not selling village secrets or seeking to grab power for power's sake. This meeting is about asserting our rights and our dignity. We are still loyal to the village itself; it is the leadership that holds our ire."

Tekka, a surreptitiously quiet sort, spoke through his frown. "What has our loyalty been rewarded with? Mistrust and a comfortable cell. We will never be free of the accusations, of the suspicion. We must act."

"I am of the same mind," Yashiro said, squinting as he always did. "Will our sons and daughters have to live their entire lives under suspicion? Will all unborn Uchiha be held in contempt for a sin none of us committed?"

"What else can we do?"

"Is there any other way?"

"Fighting… is not our only option." Yakumi said, his plain face drawn into a thoughtful frown.

"What do you suggest?" Fugaku asked.

Yakumi held a pensive silence for several moments before saying, "Perhaps it is time the Uchiha clan departed from Konoha."

Inabi gaped. "Leave the village?"

"Why fight for it?" Yakumi demanded. "Why spill another drop of Uchiha blood for this place? Why stay where we aren't wanted? Aren't respected?"

"And why should we have to depart, flee the village that wouldn't even exist without us?" Inabi bit back. "We have stronger claim than any other. The Uchiha are a founding clan. It would shame and waste the sacrifices of our ancestors to flee!"

"Where would we even go? Certainly not that cesspool Kiri."

"I have been studying the political landscapes and standing militaries of other villages," Yakumi said. "Iwa has fully retreated from conflicts and laid and impressive groundwork for its recovery. They're losing out on clients, but they're positioning for the next war is looking strong. I believe Iwa would be most eager to take us in during this reconstruction period."

"With our history?" one voice asked dubiously.

"It is because of that history that they recognize our strength. And the Uchiha have never directly invaded their village."

Yashiro shook his head. "I don't think the idea of leaving bears much merit. We are too ingrained into the village. All of our financial assets are wrapped up in Konoha, and liquidating them will draw far too much attention. The banks may even deny the attempt if they're given the directive."

"And above all, those three fossils would never allow such a thing," Inabi said.

"Not only them," Fugaku said grimly. "Even Sarutobi would take action against an Uchiha exodus. If by some miracle we managed to gather everyone outside the village, we would still be far too vulnerable to far too many parties while in-transit. Most villages would take the opportunity to wipe us out rather than waiting for us to resettle. We are too powerful an asset. And too frightful an enemy."

"The higher-ups seem determined to make enemies of us nonetheless."

"Then we are truly caged. Battle is the only path to freedom."

"But I do not wish to war with my fellow leaf shinobi," another blurted, a pained expression on his face. "Konoha is my home. Our home! I've fought and bled with these people!"

A number of mutterings shared in the sentiment.

"You've bled with them, aye," Inabi said, his expression stern, "but how many will bleed for you? For your cause?"

"We do not stand completely alone; there are those that sympathize with our plight, that see the wrongs done to us. Our strength is still the pride of Konoha! Those that see this may well aid us."

"Can we truly trust any outsider? Of course there are those in the village I have made bonds with. But when it comes down to it, none but those in the clan understand our position."

"Think of them as your dear allies at our expense," Inabi warned. "Most will continue to stand idle while we're whittled away, and attack us in force when we make our move."

"Doesn't seem like we have any options left."

"It didn't have to come to this… but they've forced our hands."

Fugaku gazed upon the active duty shinobi of the Uchiha clan had gathered. Many were under his direct command as members of the Military Police. Others were in the standard ranks of ninja personnel.

But they ultimately turned to him for leadership.

The room was a proverbial pot, whistling as its water boiled. The faces before him were set either in anger or a grim resignation.

"It seems we've come to a consensus to act," the clan leader said with a tone of finality.

"Not quite, Fugaku," a voice cut in.

Heads turned back to the entrance as the newcomer descended the steps at a leisurely pace. Fugaku kept his gaze dispassionate as he gave the new arrival his attention.

A mop of snow-white hair. His hitai-ate was well polished, but the insignia so weathered those with lesser vision would require close inspection to recognize it; the metal was scratched, chipped, and in its upper left corner, dented. Ordinarily it would be considered unrepresentable, the wearer would be admonished and issued a new hitai-ate. But no one ever dared question this jonin's uniform, because the headpiece itself had witnessed all three Shinobi World Wars, and in so doing, become a rare artifact beyond the purview of dress regulations.

One hand casually rested on the pommel of a sword fastened horizontally at his back, the other held a slender pipe to his lips.

Below the hitai-ate, a lone Sharingan eye observed the room. "I am not convinced this is a wise course of action."

Inabi sneered. The disenter's name spilled from his clenched teeth like a curse. "Kagami. Why am I not surprised one of Tobirama's prized students wants us to bow down? How did you even know about this meeting?"

"We were not expecting you, Kagami-san," Fugaku said, bowing his head slightly to the elder as he took a quickly vacated seat at the front.

"And for good reason," Tekka said, looking as though he wanted to spit. "You've been galavanting about the world while the Uchiha are in dire need."

Kagami grunted as he settled himself, carefully balancing his pipe. He took a long drag, then blew the smoke downward.

"I believed the clan no longer in need of my guidance. Unlike the others, I don't wish to smother the growth of the future."

"Then why have you come?"

"To prevent the downfall of the Uchiha," the elder answered.

"If you weren't halfway to Suna, you'd recognize that's already happened!"

"I suppose I misspoke." He turned his head to Inabi. "Allow me to clarify." His Sharingan spun, and morphed, the black pupils expanding into a pattern seen in no other. "I am here to prevent the eradication of the Uchiha."

Inabi felt a chill go down his spine as he held his ground. "We're doing this to prevent ourselves from being wiped out."

Kagami hummed thoughtfully. "Have you ever seen it before?"

"Seen what?" Inabi snapped.

"A genocide."

He waited, but no one seemed to have an answer for him.

"You're trying to frighten us," Inabi said, but his tone had lost most of its bite.

Kagami added more tobacco to his pipe. "There isn't much hope for us if you haven't learned fear already. The Kuma clan wasn't afraid either."

"Never heard of them."

"My point exactly. Back in those days the villages were sprouting up like spring crops. But they weren't well established. Plenty of clans were reluctant to follow suit, and continued in the traditional enclaves and roving bands. Work dried up for them as the strong began congregating to the strong, all following the preeminent example of Konohagakure. Clients enjoyed the safety and assuredness of hiring shinobi from within a ninja village, shinobi that would not betray a contract or kill the employer for greater gain.

"Not the proud Kuma, who refused to integrate. They continued to function in isolation, and when they began starving, turned to banditry. The lands between Earth, Wind, and Fire countries were a fest of trade and commerce to support the growing villages. Fire and Earth were bountiful, flush with ore or fertile lands, so this impacted them little. In Kaze no Kuni, however, life is harsh and resources scarce.

"Finally, once a precious shipment of silks was intercepted, the edict was given by the Wind Daimyo to ensure the Kuma clan would never pillage again. The Shodai Kazekage happily took the contract. The Kuma were certain that life in a village had made their coming opposition soft, weak. They met the force of desert tribes, assured of victory.

The Kuma were wiped out to the last. Perhaps some babes were sparred to help replenish the village, a common custom amongst sand dwellers. They wouldn't be told anything about their lineage. They would be raised as Sunagakure shinobi.

"When I die, when Sarutobi dies, when that witch Chiyo and that frog Onoki die… when the last of us to have seen the smoldering remains of that clan die, they will be gone from history forever.

"That is what it means to be wiped out. So don't be dramatic, boy. Carelessly engaging the village will lead to assured destruction."

"I appreciate your wisdom," Fugaku said gravely, trying to keep thoughts of his family from weakening him, his resolve. "This is not something we've considered lightly, Kagami-san."

"I am not certain it is even feasible."

"What worries you?"

"My chief concern is our vulnerable. Our young and our old… myself excluded. Our civilians. They have no place to take shelter were a full scale battle to erupt. This is by design. The council have done this to deter us from retaliating. To limit potential casualties of non-combatants to only the Uchiha clan. Those gathered here are all capable warriors. They are not. Are you willing to jeopardize those lives?"

"I too have discerned their intent in moving us here," Fugaku said, "and have pondered it over many a sleepless night. My solution is to avoid open warfare with a preemptive strike to four targets: Sarutobi and the council members. A swift attack to apprehend and, if possible, detain those four. There should be no casualties outside of their ANBU guards. We can make this a nearly bloodless coup."

Kagami's brow wrinkled in thought. He nodded. "A sound strategy. Perhaps the best available to you. But what of the hearts of the people, Fugaku?"

"…What of them?"

"Sarutobi has held Konoha's love for generations. And he would sooner die than surrender authority via force. The council is one thing, but should you take Sarutobi's life, presuming you can, the village would be galvanized as never before to eliminate the Uchiha in retaliation. You would need something beyond damning to justify his removal to them."

The gathering considered this with quiet conversations, many of them holding a doubtful tone.

"Maybe we can live with the Sandaime," Yashiro allowed, flinching as Inabi whirled to him. "Sarutobi is hardly the true problem. He allows his old compatriots far too much power."

"There's no separating the four of them. To rid ourselves of any, we have to clean the pot completely!"

"You forget," Kagami said. "Their suspicions reflect those of the village at large."

"Only because they planted the seeds of doubt to begin with!"

"Perhaps it was to someone's advantage," Kagami allowed, "but it is an understandable suspicion. Only the Sharingan can control the Kyuubi. Even Madara used it in his battle against Hashirama. In the absence of Shodai-sama's Mokuton, the only other method for controlling Bijuu would be the Sharingan. If you were investigating the attack, who would you suspect?"

"They have no proof that we were responsible!"

"Have you never detained someone without evidence?"

For a moment he came up short. "Not for years," Inabi ground out.

"'Understandable suspicion' my ass! If we were truly the culprits to summon the Kyuubi, we would have struck that very night!"

"We should have!"

"Madara-sama was right all along. But we turned our backs on him when he warned us. The battle he waged, he should not have had to do it alone!"

"What if that night was the call to action and we missed it?" Yashiro asked, dismayed.

"And… what if that is exactly what the one responsible wanted?" Kagami mused. "Perhaps by instigating a rebellion, we would be performing as they wish. Dancing to the tune of an unknown."

"Enough!" Inabi shouted. "You've only come here to sow discord amongst us! Chief, give the order to detain Kagami!"

"By what cause?" Fugaku demanded.

"He has never had the heart of an Uchiha. He will reveal us well before we are prepared!"

Fugaku looked at the elder, his own Sharingan wheel spinning. "Do you intend to inform the council of this discussion?"

Kagami took another drag of his pipe. "It would be foolish to assume… that they do not anticipate such a plot." He paused for a moment. "Sarutobi himself expressed his concerns to me about this very possibility."

Gasps sounded off in the room like firecrackers.

Fugaku felt a cold pit in his stomach. "When was this!"

Kagami blew out more smoke. "Three years ago."

"Right after we were moved," Fugaku whispered. "So he's known all this time?"

"We didn't call him The Professor for nothing," Kagami said, smiling ruefully.

"And will you confirm their suspicions?"

"I do intend to have a chat with Sarutobi."

The room went quiet once more, and all but the flames and racing hearts were still.

"But not to betray the clan," Kagami added. His composed expression was swallowed by one of ferocity. "Rest assured, I share your grievances. The council have overstepped. And Sarutobi has failed to rein them in. Sensei entrusted the Uchiha with enforcing justice. And it seems to me their actions are quite unjust."

His anger faded as quickly as it was born.

"I am merely noting that the perpetrator whom caused us this grief may well escape justice. Amongst these decisions against the clan, there are wills that believe they are for the good of the village, but I sense they are a cloak for a nefarious intent."

"Elder… you have been skirting the edges of implication. Hinting at something. I think I have grasped the idea, but tell me plain."

Kagami nodded in approval. "Very good, Fugaku… Yes, there is a greater plot at work here. I believe this is an elaborate, methodical trap. Shimura Danzo wants you to retaliate."

Fugaku's eyes narrowed as his suspicion was confirmed. "To what end?"

"I was there when Sensei decided on his successor. I know that Danzo has never forgotten the moment he was passed over. I'm certain it has played in his head thousands, tens of thousands of times since… I worked with Danzo for many years, before and after. Saved his life on several occasions. That was a mistake.

"He called me out to a remote location, said he had discovered something he couldn't trust anyone else with. When I arrived, he attacked me. I narrowly escaped with my life. It cost me my eye. It cost him his arm.

"I went into hiding to patch my wounds, no more than a few hours. By the time I emerged he had already manufactured a story about how we were both attacked by rogue Iwa shinobi, and somehow had fresh corpses in place to facilitate the ruse. I could say nothing without appearing a madman. So I kept my silence and simply watched over Danzo. I like to think my presence helped quell some of his actions.

"Heed my warning with utmost attention: Danzo aims to assume the mantle of Hokage. And to do that, he will eliminate anything he sees as a threat to that ambition. He has determined that the Uchiha clan is one such obstacle."

"And so he wishes to provoke us."

"You're saying that attacking the him would be giving Danzo exactly what he wants?"

The resolution of the collective members waned in light of this news.

"I'm sure he doesn't want to have his head removed," Inabi growled. "What will all this plotting achieve if he dies in the end?"

"We would lose the village's trust forever," Kagami said. "For him, that would still be a sort of victory."

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't."

"The culprit behind the Kyuubi attack was never uncovered, correct?" Kagami asked.

"Perhaps if we had been allowed to investigate…" Tekka muttered sourly.

"We weren't even allowed near the scene where the seal broke. They had begun to isolate us from the moment the attack took place."

"An order given by Danzo," Fugaku said. His quiet voice carried through the room easily. "As if that were what he'd been waiting for. If we were to have intervened and suppressed the Kyuubi's chakra, painting us with suspicion would be considerably more difficult. Do you think he was somehow involved in the attack itself?"

"I've been suspicious of Danzo for decades, but that beggars belief even for me. I can't imagine how he would accomplish such thing. To my estimation, the only living person who might have the power needed to control the Kyuubi would be… no one other than yourself, Fugaku."

The clan leader held his stare.

"Either way, Danzo is not one to let an opportunity to profit from misfortune pass him by."

Fugaku scowled. "If an Uchiha was responsible, they did the clan no favors. Things would be quiet different for us had Minato lived."

Yashiro looked puzzled. "What great change would that have made? He was still a disciple of the Senju."

Old mourning tore open anew at the question. "I had talks with him, prior to his death. Minato wanted me to become his chief advisor. Our wives were close as well. Mikoto was a student in the same class as Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.

"He intended to include the Uchiha in greater operations to secure the village, have more of us placed into the ANBU. Not out of pity or some misplaced guilt, but simply because he believed the clan could do more for the village. Minato was nothing if not ruthlessly pragmatic."

"You never made mention of this before, Fugaku," Tekka said, sounding stunned.

He sighed and shook his head, a somewhat helpless gesture. "I had promised to keep quiet of this until he had settled into his position. It was Minato's hope that the next generation of Uchiha be more integrated into the village, rather than drifting further from it."

"Hah!" Inabi laughed bitterly. "Of course. Of course the one Senju that would reach out to us would perish. Well, those options of peace died with him."

Fugaku once more shook his head. "No, that may not be the case." He looked to the elder. "You said you intended to speak with Sarutobi."

Kagami nodded.

"Then I hope your conversation bears fruit."

"As do I," Kagami said after a moment, standing. "You still have some matters to discuss, so I will take my leave of you." The elder was shortly gone, leaving only a faint trace of tobacco.

"Are you certain about letting him go, Boss?"

"Of the many things I'm uncertain of, Kagami is not one of them. Like Tobirama, his interests are the village first and foremost, but he also recognizes that Konoha's leadership has been lacking.

"Regardless of that, we remain in a precarious position, so I won't yet discount the possibility of action. But we'll keep what we've discussed amongst those present for now, as I trust each of you can resist interrogation… should it come to that. There isn't yet any proof of a plot even should Kagami turn against us."

He received a series nods. Some were disappointed, some were relieved. But most seemed to feel as conflicted as he did.

"We'll wait for the situation to develop and continue to do our duty. Endure, my family. Endure it, so that we may one day see a better future for the Uchiha."

Fugaku was the last to leave. The walk home under moonlight felt the longest he'd ever taken.

Though he moved quietly and suppressed his chakra signature out of habit, his wife greeted him at the door.

The Uchiha were traditional in ways few still were. As before they settled in Konoha, the women of the clan often stayed behind as men ventured into distant lands to do battle. This was not out of helplessness. They were entrusted with the defense of the home.

Strength ruled in the clan. And so Uchiha women also reserved the right to challenge their grooms to mortal combat, testing their worthiness to marry. Five years his junior in an arranged engagement, Mikoto had tested him. Thoroughly. He had passed.

Beautiful, disciplined, homemaker, submissive yet strong. She had even handled Itachi's initial training. By all metrics she was a perfect wife, and he could ask no more of her. In his home, Fugaku wanted for nothing. She saw to that.

Even at this time of night, her appearance was immaculate, and she showed no signs of fatigue.

He nodded to her in greeting, kicking off his sandals. "Itachi?"

"Out training with Shisui-kun," she said, taking his flak jacket off his shoulders to hang it on the wall. "And Sasuke is sleeping soundly."

He was soon seated at the dining table, the steam still rising from the meal set before him.

Her hands set upon his shoulders, rubbing and kneading. Soothing his aches. They were encased in a gentle green glow. Having wife trained in medical ninjutsu was a great boon. He briefly lay his hand atop hers before filling his belly. He was suddenly ravenous. The day had been long.

"Should I take how stiff you are as a sign the meeting didn't go well?"

He swallowed and wiped his mouth. "It remains to be seen." He savored the final bite before placing down his chopsticks and pushing his plate away.

"We had an interesting guest."

"Who was it?"

"You don't know?"

Her hands paused the ministrations, then retreated. She moved to sit across from him, her eyes downcast.

"It was good of you to invite Kagami-san," Fugaku said.

"How did you know?"

"That disinfectant I smell. You only ever used it when Sarutobi visited our old home to congratulate us on Sasuke's birth. It's perfect for removing the smell of tobacco. You were the only person not there that knew of the meeting. He was here, wasn't he?"

"Yes." She seemed contrite. Then words began to tumble out. "Forgive me. I didn't want anyone to think you were responsible! That you were being half-hearted. That you were a traitor," Mikoto finished quietly.

"Are you a traitor?"

Mikoto raised her head. She meet his gaze.

Her eyes were red.

He responded in kind.

A conversation without words ensued. The pupils in their eyes whirled.

He allowed her genjutsu to envelope him.

He saw himself, alongside a team of his subordinates, rushing through the night, toward the Hokage Tower. Shisui was with them. They were set upon by a mass of shadowed figures that held the shape of Konoha shinobi. The entire might of the village brandished against them. They fought bravely, but it was brief.

The ANBU marched into the Uchiha compound. Spilling into the streets, storming into every home. Whether they fought or fled, all Uchiha were cut down. Shinobi or shopkeeper. Adult or child. The houses set ablaze before the bodies inside even began to cool.

At last there was only one house left. His own home. Mikoto fought light a woman possessed, but she too was cut down.

And the last standing was Itachi, shielding a shivering Sasuke with one hand, and holding a kunai in the other. He looked…young. Small. He was young, but Fugaku could forget. Most people did when they listened to the boy, watched him perform jutsu a single breath after it was demonstrated for him.

They fell upon him with their blades. The vision faded away, and the last stimulus to touch his senses were a boy's cries.

Even though she meant to show him her deepest fears, she could not bear to envision the ending. She was not alone. His pulse was racing. He'd felt less distress in live combat.

It was hardly a desirable outcome, but if it came to open warfare, Fugaku had a trump card to prevent their annihilation.

And so he showed her.

Fugaku revealed his Mangekyo Sharingan. Mikoto would now see how things would truly unfold.

A small blonde girl with whisker like birthmarks. She was bound on the alter like a ritual sacrifice. Her eyes became red and the demon within her was unleashed and soon she simply exploded in a ball of red hate as the Kyuubi formed. Its gargantuan form loomed, an impassible tide of power guarding the Uchiha compound.

The shadowed figures from Mikoto's genjutsu were dashed by the mighty claws of the Bijuu as they dared to approach the ancient clan's final refuge. Fugaku stood, commanding the beast with his eyes, his family, his clan, behind him, all of them safe. Protected.

Mikoto gasped. She looked at him in horror as he too allowed his Sharingan to fade.

He set his jaw against her stare, more affected by her fear than he would have liked. "We will use the Kyuubi. We will use the Uzumaki girl."

"But she is… She is innocent, Fugaku!"

"Aye, that she is," Fugaku said. "That she is. She won't be the first innocent to die in a war.

"Kumo was desperate to fill up their left flank. We'd set the rivers ablaze. They didn't have the manpower. Only one stronghold stood between us and Kumogakure. As I approached, I happened upon a young boy, fumbling with a spear that was too big for him. Likely a conscript. I could practically smell the manure on him.

"He had time for a single breath before I cut the boy to ribbons, because if I did not, he may well have hindered the op. And I would kill him a thousand times more if it meant getting my men out alive.

"If I must choose between the blood of that forsaken child, and the blood of my own children… then it is no choice at all."

He folded his arms and closed his heart, an impassible, unfeeling wall. He could not allow her softer emotions, her womanly disposition to sway him. Were he to falter when the time came, the costs would be disastrous and irreversible.

Mikoto bit her lip until it welled with blood. It dribbled down to splash her favorite apron. He braced himself against a desperate supplication, an appeal to his humanity.

She moved to stand before him. Her onyx eyes peered down at him with an expression he had never seen from her. But he did recognize it. From mothers, from teammates begging, pleading, demanding that he release their loved one whom he'd arrested.

"Fugaku."

She knelt, then bowed her head low, until it touched the floor.

"I have been a dutiful kunoichi to the clan my entire life. And I have been a faithful and dutiful wife to you. I retired and became a homemaker. I have obediently stayed home to raise our children, sons I have birthed for you. I have never raised a word of complaint. I have given you my all, Husband.

"But this, I cannot abide. I cannot withstand the death of that girl. She is the only daughter of my dear departed friend. I cannot take her in as my own, and have been forced to watch from a distance as those ingrates neglect her. I die inside every time I think of her pain. Of how ashamed her parents would be of this village they sacrificed their lives to protect. But at the very least… at the very least I can prevent her death."

She looked up, and Fugaku learned what his wife's tears looked like.

"Spare that girl's life."

The plea was a blade that slipped though his chainlink armor.

A soft sigh escaped him. To see his proud wife prostrate herself before him, he knew her to be in dire need.

"You have my word, I will seek all other possible solutions. The threat of unleashing the Kyuubi alone may be enough. But should we come to true desperation, should our end be imminent, I will sacrifice her without hesitation. Understood?"

After a moment, Mikoto raised her head, and though her eyes were still stained with tears, she nodded.


Sarutobi grinned around his pipe at the sight of his personal pigeon carrying a missive. Very few close friends had been given this permission, and the number had sadly dwindled over the years.

The usual place.

It wasn't the handwriting that assured him of the identity of the writer, many could imitate that. But not the smell. That familiar tobacco, mixed with a slightly different, sweeter tang.

This is a new strand, he thought excitedly.

He pocketed the note. Later that night he would place it with the others he'd gathered over the years. Mementos were amongst the few personal possessions he cherished.

With a perfect excuse to take a stroll in the morning light, Sarutobi instructed the chunin beside him, a reformed prankster, to continue issuing missions without him. He made his way with a minimal escort trailing him, unseen.

He happily greeted shopkeepers and other passersby. Congratulating a couple on their newborn; he remembered when they were children themselves! Such realizations caused others to feel their age, but for Sarutobi, it put an extra spring in his step. Few things invigorated him like the celebration of new life.

Soon the bustle of his village fell behind him as he continued to its eastern outskirts.

The open clearing had been largely ignored by the rest of the populace, he found, but the sole bench was still in good condition. Sarutobi made sure to put in for a D-rank every few months to maintain it.

His face tightened with a smile as he saw his old friend and comrade. Kagami turned, and the Uchiha's expression visibly relaxed.

"Leave us," he said without breaking his stride.

His two guards bowed and retreated, all in silence. When he no longer felt their presences, he spoke. "It is good to see you safely make your way home."

"You seem well, Saru. Have you time for a smoke?" He held up a plastic pouch.

Sarutobi rubbed his hands together. "What jewel have you uncovered this time?"

"This is a special crop grown in Kusa. They don't ship this out, so I doubt you've ever had the chance to try it. I'm especially fond of the aftertaste."

"It smells wonderful."

They exchanged pipes. The two were anomalous amongst their peers as enjoyers of tobacco, and would do the courtesy of packing for the other.

Sarutobi gently patted the delicacy, leaving enough room for air to get through. He nodded to himself once finished. Soon the pipes were back in the hands of their owners, fit for for lighting.

Kagami always insisted on using his lighter, which Hiruzen always found odd for an Uchiha. He accepted the light with a nod. The trade was finished after he raised a finger, and with a bit of chakra, lit Kagami's from a distance and with exacting precision.

The first puff, merely a sip, was intoxicating. Sarutobi relished the feeling. There were scarce new experiences for someone as old as he, but this he always anticipated as though he were a pup with a new bone.

The two men enjoyed the light breeze and warm sun. It was a perfect day.

"I considered offering to lure you away from the Tower to kill you while they handled the other three."

Hiruzen let out a sigh, allowing the flavor settle. Kagami had been right, he would enjoy this tang immensely. "I see. And… is that the purpose of this visit?"

"I'm not quite tired of this life just yet," Kagami said with a chuckle. "I pondered the solution to my clan's woes as I traveled back to the village. When I found the answer, it felt as though I had walked in a large circle. I found a truth that I had always known. Known so long I had forgotten, only to find it where I started."

Hiruzen held his pipe in his well worn fingers. It was worth savoring, so he restrained himself a bit.

"Has anyone ever told you that you could be a much better Hokage?"

He didn't respond, knowing the question was rhetorical. But it did make him wonder. Danzo was the only one critical of him, and that seemed to abate as he left the old rival to his own devices.

God of Shinobi. A nickname scarcely uttered, but it seemed to echo through the decades. His ninja did seem to worship him at times. None but his own son had ever challenged him, and that had been as a father.

"Of course they haven't. I understand why you did it. It's no wonder you chose to divvy up power amongst those closest to you, amongst Sensei's most trusted. Has a shinobi ever borne a more tremendous burden? You became Hokage at a tender age. Gods were we young!"

Kagami turned to look at him. His head was still full of hair. Hiruzen was jealous, though he'd sooner submit to torture than admit it.

"But you've been lax. Complacent. You've allowed them too much for too long. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

"You let it on because you saw an end in sight. Someone would take over for you soon and that would be the end of it. It would be the Yondaime's era and he would bring in his young blood to flush out the old, and they would graciously accept being replaced, saving you the awkward and thankless task of divorcing your oldest allies and friends from their cushy seats of power.

"I commend you for not foisting the responsibility on an unworthy. But you have yet to commit. Time to dirty your hands once more.

"I commend you for not foisting the responsibility on an unworthy. But you have yet to commit. You've lost… forfeited… the ability to harden your heart. The man you were, and the things you did during those wars… He doesn't have to engulf you fully, but it 's time to let him take the reins for a bit. Because you are on the precipice of losing one of your greatest assets due to inaction. Danzo is your true mistake. The root of it, if you will."

The learned shinobi snorted. He turned a hard-eyed stare to his companion. "I see you've come here to light more than one fire."

Kagami nodded without a hint of remorse.

A long time passed, enough that the two men repacked and relit their pipes. Sarutobi sat on that bench longer than he initially intended, far longer than he would have otherwise allowed himself.

"If he's dragged away, he'll try to claw at everything he can to fasten himself."

"Want me to kill him?"

A lengthy silence.

"No," Sarutobi finally said. "This is not the responsibility of a vagabond. The Hokage will bear the burden."

"Indeed. As well he should."

Kagami's face tinged with sympathy. He lay a tentative hand on the kage's robed shoulder. "You may well die without a single friend left in this world. But… you will have the undying gratitude of your people. Whether they know the reasons for it or not."

He withdrew his hand to produce another bag, this one full, sealed. He placed it on the bench.

"Until next time, Saru."

He did not join him. Sarutobi stayed long after Kagami was well out of sight. When the sun had shifted overhead, he trekked to the Tower. His tower.

On his way back, the beginnings of greetings were on many a tongue, but died alongside smiles when their eyes met his. He was unsure what expression he had as the people wordlessly parted for him.

In lieu of greetings, they merely bowed their heads.


"It is unlike you to demand our presence with such short notice," Homura said gruffly as as seated himself.

"This will be a meeting unlike any other," Sarutobi said, not offering an apology.

This was not lost on the three he had summoned. The Hokage was perpetually polite and apologetic for inconveniences he did not foresee. He always had been.

He folded his hands near an unlit pipe. "First, I would like to thank you all for your many years of service by my side. The village would not have survived, let alone flourished, without your crucial decision making and leadership."

Koharu frowned. "Why does it sound as if you are saying goodbye? You aren't sick, are you?"

"No, I am in perfect health. This is a goodbye, of sorts. A goodbye to our status quo. I have decided to reassign each of you."

"Reassignment?" Homura asked. His brow furrowed beneath his spectacles.

Sarutobi nodded to the single ANBU present, who proceeded to distribute labeled files to both Homura and Koharu.

"Homura, you will assume the position of Headmaster of the Academy. While I enjoy the students' company from time to time, I have been unable to give their education the attention it deserves in recent years. I want to be sure the curriculum is properly adjusted for these fluctuating demands. Intelligence does not anticipate any large scale conflicts in the near future, so let us take this opportunity to train our young ones as thoroughly as possible.

"Koharu, I will be assigning you as the head of a new, bureaucratic division: Shinobi Wellness. You will be in charge of looking after all matters concerning our soldier's mental health and fitness, survivor's compensation, and other quality of life concerns that will impact their morale. Too many of these incidents have been slipping through the cracks for my liking."

The two looked at him, then at one another.

Koharu found her voice first. "If we're tending to these matters, who will be here to advise and assist you on domestic and foreign affairs?"

"I've had you both by my side for so long I can hear you in my sleep. There are many talented, young shinobi with fresh perspectives I may well benefit from, and they should try their hands at governance."

"But they don't have the experience!"

"Yes," he said in a voice drier than Suna. "Now they will have the opportunity to acquire it."

"You expect these whelps to organize and execute this new Chunin Exam you've envisioned?" Homura asked derisively.

"I know several that would serve the role well. The other villages won't immediately associate them with the turbulent sides of our shared histories," Sarutobi said. "And they will be certain the offer to participate bears no overtures of coercion."

"They associate us with strength, and the consequences of challenging Konoha," Koharu said fiercely. "Making those young ones the face of your rule will display weakness. Invite challenge."

"There is no greater weakness than stagnation."

"Hiruzen I cannot in good conscience accept this," Koharu said.

"You can. And you will."

Their protests died in an instant.

They remembered those exact words, and that exact tone. Just after Onoki exploded in outrage, claiming he would never agree to their terms. Just before he indeed signed the armistice.

"If your loyalty is to this village, to me, then you will graciously accept these assignments and fulfill them to the best of your considerable abilities. If your loyalty is to the positions you've held all these years…. then we shall have a different discussion entirely. One with an outcome I am certain none of you would favor."

They gaped at him. Hearing no further rebuttals, he continued.

"You will each sign over your current responsibilities and undertake the given tasks. And you will endorse this decision wholeheartedly. You will do it because it is best for our village."

He sat back at his desk, hands still clasped to keep them from the pipe in reach. Resignation began to take hold in their eyes.

"When this responsibility was first thrust upon me, I needed you more than even you know. I was young, a whelp, if you will. The fate of the village was on my shoulders, and our decisions would shape the world. Decisions that are not in our history lessons, that served us well. Those times were chaos. But this village is not what is was. The world is not what it once was. We are at peace, and the peaceful transition of power should be embraced while we have the luxury.

"I searched everyday for my successor, wondering who and when, but you don't seem to have ever given thought as to who will come after you. Thus I have taken the liberty. When the merciful time comes that a worthy successor once more rises from our crop of splendid shinobi, then I will once more forfeit this mantle. Today, you have the opportunity do so. Happily. Am I clear?"

They looked at one another, and seeing no answers between them, turned back to Sarutobi. Koharu and Homura stood and bowed. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Thank you. I leave you both to prepare thorough, comprehensive briefing packages for your replacements of day to day matters and responsibilities."

Both elderly shinobi took this for the clear dismissal it was. The ANBU opened the door for them, and followed them out.

Danzo remained seated, and took in the village leader's demeanor.

"It seems you've found your spine."

The Hokage said nothing, simply looking at him as though trying to swallow him with his eyes.

Danzo felt a twinge he kept from rippling through his body. He'd not seen that look for a long, long time. They were alone.

"One cannot help but noticed you have not yet given me my assignment. What task do you have for me, Sarutobi? A remote outpost on the skirts of Hi no Kuni, perhaps?"

"Many times have I turned a blind eye to your deeds, Danzo. You have been ruthless. That reputation alone has dissuaded action against us, in the past. But you have also incurred wrath and resentment. I find myself receiving diminishing returns on your borderline insubordination.

"I am, of course, fully culpable for having allowed it to go on. I let you shoulder the unsavory aspects of this village for too long. So long, in fact, that you have forgotten whom you answer to.

"And I am of a mind to correct my mistakes."

Danzo was considering the distance to the exit when Sarutobi stood. He approached. His hands were not visible within the robes. Danzo ordered his body still, but noticed a disobedient hand tightening on his cane. Sarutobi stopped less than pace away. He stared down at bandaged man.

Rage flooded his veins. Indignation. He chose to rise and meet the eyes that were like granite. But his legs, too, shirked his orders.

Sarutobi's hand blurred, and a folder appeared in front of Dazno. He eyed it. When he looked back up, Sarutobi was already at the window, gazing out at the village. As Danzo dexterously handled the folder with his good hand, Sarutobi spoke.

"Those are the initial targets I suggest. You will be hunting missing ninja, any and all of them, regardless of the village they've defected from.

"I want you to develop a team capable of tracking any shinobi in any part of the world. I've long admired the proficiency of the Hunter-nin of Kiri, and we should have no shortage of competent personnel capable of emulating them. Those you recruit are by no means to undergo the emotional repression training you administer.

"Each successful capture will be used to gather what information we can from other villages, before collecting the bounty. That will be your capital to do with as you see fit to continue the operation indefinitely.

"I will be assigning you a second. Should anything happen to you, they will assume command in your place."

What was visible of Danzo's profile furrowed in distaste. "My own are more trustworthy."

"You will find you would rather no other at your side. Take out the weaker targets first. They will be your gauge for how efficient and capable your team is. Once you are certain they are up to the task, you will shift focus to the primary target of the operation. That profile is at the bottom."

He reached the final dossier at that moment. Shimura Danzo was not known for displays of surprise slipping through his iron clad control. His eye widened, taking in the photo.

A pale faced man with golden eyes smirked back audaciously.

"You have often lamented my failure to kill my former student. So I will have you lead the effort to correct my mistake."

"Interesting… Are we to eliminate him?"

"Should the opportunity present itself, yes. The primary mission, however, is that you uncover his whereabouts."

"And should we deliver his whereabouts to you? What do you propose to do?"

"As I said. I am correcting my mistake."

"I am… pleasantly surprised. You've given me quite a task, but one I am well suited to. This will surely benefit Konoha."

The ANBU outside the room opened the door just before he reached it. The tapping of his cane stopped. Danzo turned fully to face his old rival.

"Removing me will not pacify the Uchiha. Their thirst for power cannot be contained until they rule Konoha. It is their nature."

"Perhaps."

"Will you grant them a seat on your council in our stead?"

"Their potential violence will not cow me into offering them power. What I am giving them… is the opportunity to forge a different path forward."