Chapter 10: Aftermath of Betrayal

Konoha:

Fugaku and the others leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Their destination the Uchiha compound. "You think Shisui made it in time?" He heard Itachi ask.

Fugaku looked at his eldest son next to him. The young man showed no visible sign of his emotions, but Fugaku could tell he was worried. "I hope so." Fugaku replied. If he was, to be honest, Fugaku was worried as well. Yashiro had been dealt with, and without him, the rest of the insurgents would fall. But Fugaku feared that the damage was already done.

Itachi nodded, keeping his eyes fixed ahead. "He is one of the finest shinobi that the village has to offer. If anyone can protect mother, and Sasuke. He can." He said.

Fugaku knew his son was trying to reassure him, but it also sounded like he was trying to convince himself as well. "Yes, he is," Fugaku replied. His mind was too occupied to come up with anything else. He knew Shisui was a skilled Shinobi, one of the best in the clan and in the village. The young man had earned his place in the ANBU and had taken on assignments that seasoned veterans would have a hard time with.

Still, Fugaku was worried about the safety of his family. He knew even the best and brightest could fail. That someway, somehow, they would make a mistake that cost them dearly or would have run of bad luck. What if Shisui had not arrived in time to save Mikoto and Sasuke? What if the traitors had found a way to overwhelm and kill him? Would they be greeted by friendly faces when they got to the compound, or would they have to fight their way through its streets?

Fugaku shook his head, he needed to focus. Whatever happens at the compound, he would have to deal with. He looked around. Around him leaping from rooftop to rooftop and running down the mostly empty streets, were more than two dozen other Konoha Shinobi. Most of them were ANBU, with a few Jōnin joining them, he noticed that a couple of chunin had joined their group.

It was quite the force they had assembled. He hopes it would be enough to dissuade any further thoughts of rebellion from the rest of Yashiro's followers. Fugaku looked at Hiashi, and for a brief moment, he was taken back to a time when the two were closer. Before the Kyūbi attack, before they had drifted apart, a time when they had considered each other friends. Back then, they could count on the other to watch their back. Together with Minato, they had been a deadly force of nature, able to break through any stronghold, able to take down any foe that came their way. Crazy Eyes Fugaku, Hiashi the All-Seeing Eye, and Minato the Yellow Flash, apart from each other, they were some of the strongest shinobi in the Elemental Nations, feared by all. But when word got out that all three of them were together, whole armies would surrender.

Fugaku felt a small smile coming on. It felt good to be working with the man again, even if it felt bittersweet with the absence of one of their trio. Hiashi noticed him looking and gave him a silent nod of support. Fugaku returned the gestured and looked forward. He saw the outline of the Uchiha compound rapidly approaching.

A silver hair ANBU came up to the side of him. "Sir, what do we do when we arrive at the compound?"

Fugaku knew the young man was testing him. Seeing if he would give the order to fight his clansmen, knowing that they would die. He admitted that he was hesitant about the idea, it didn't feel right having to fight his own people. But Fugaku knew that if they did not stop the traitors now, they would have another chance to rebel against the village. Not to mention that suspicions towards the Uchiha clan would grow, which might cause the traitor's numbers to swell again. Fugaku wasn't sure if he would be able to stop a second coup from occurring.

Fugaku took a deep breath. "Once we arrive at the compound, we'll try to root out the traitors. I will announce that an emergency meeting of the entire clan is to be held tonight in the assembly hall. I will tell them what Yashiro tried to do. I'll ask that they cooperate with the village in finding out who all supported Yashiro."
The ANBU remain silent for a moment. "Do you believe that they would be willing to go with that?"

Fugaku thought about the answer he would give. He knew that he would be asking a lot of his clansmen. He would be asking them to endure more suspicion than they already were, likely letting most of them being interrogated by officials of Konoha. Fugaku was not naïve, he knew at least a few were going to all but accuse everyone in the Uchiha clan of being traitors. A certain crippled council member came to mind. He also knew a few, like the Hokage and Hiashi, would try to be fair and impartial, hopefully, they would be able to keep the hardliners in check. He wasn't sure how his clan would take that. "I hope so." Fugaku said, it was the best answer he could come up with.

The ANBU nodded. "I see." He said.

"Inu-San," Itachi said, getting the silver-haired ANBU's attention. "Please try not to hold anything against my father or my clan. These are the actions of a few radicals, not the whole of the clan. Try to have faith in them."

The ANBU with the dog mask remains silent for a moment before he nodded. "I understand." He said. "I have some history with your clan."

Fugaku wanted to ask the young man more about his history with the Uchiha. But had no time as they came up to the compound. "One last thing." Fugaku said, stopping on a rooftop in front of the compound walls. The others did the same. "If the traitors do try to resist." Fugaku paused briefly, taking in the weight of his next order. "Do whatever you can to apprehend them alive. But if it comes down between you and them, choose them. Understood?"

A pregnant silence pass as everyone took in what Fugaku meant. "Understood." Everyone said.

Fugaku nodded at them. He took a deep breath and turned to face the compound walls. He leapt down.

Two guards stood outside the compound's main gates. They stood at attention when they saw Fugaku. "Fugaku-Sama, you've returned." One of them said.

"I have." Fugaku said, walking up to them. He kept his eyes for any surprises. "A situation as developed." He explained. "I'm calling an emergency session of the entire clan. My friends here will be attending." He gestured to the group of shinobi behind him.

Both guards looked at each other then back at Fugaku. "We are aware, Fugaku-Sama." Fugaku narrowed his eyes at the two. "The clan as already gathered at the assembly hall. We were just waiting for you."

Suspicious Fugaku reached for his weapon. His eyes scanned over the area again, looking for any sign of a trap. Seeing nothing but staying alert, he turned his attention back to the guards. So far, they showed no signing of reacting to his actions, though they did look nervous. "What do you know of the situation?" He asked.

Both guards held their hands up in front of them. "We are not followers of Yashiro if that is what you fear." One of them said. "We're not leading you into a trap."

Still suspicious, Fugaku motioned for Hiashi to come up. "Can you tell if they're lying?"

Hiashi nodded and activated his Byakugan. "I don't see any signs that they are lying, Fugaku." He said after a moment.

Fugaku nodded at the man, but he was not about to drop his guard yet. "How do you know about Yashiro? Are you aware that he has betrayed the clan?" Fugaku activated his Sharingan staring the two in the eye.

Both guards flinched at Fugaku's actions. Fugaku did have to admire them, anyone else would have turned tail and ran. "Yes, Fugaku-Sama. We know that Yashiro tried to have you and your family killed. The whole clan knows it now."

"It was hard to believe at first." The other guard began to explain. "But when we were present with the evidence, it was hard to refute. Now seeing you here like this, there's no denying it."

Raising an eyebrow, Fugaku deactivated his Sharingan. "Who presented you this evidence?"

A familiar voice joined in on the conversation. "That would be me." Shisui walked out of the gates and stop in front of Fugaku. He smiled. "I figured that you would be arriving soon. So, I came out here to check up on the guards. It seems I came just in time to save them from a brutal integration by you." He looks at the guards with a joking smile.

One of them returned a nervous smile. "I think rather take on an S-Rank mission, sir. Better survival odds that way." He said.

Shisui gave the guard a small chuckle. He turned his head back to face Fugaku. "I guess I got some explaining to do?"

Fugaku nodded at the young man. "You do. If you are who you appear to be."

"You think I'm an imposter?" Shisui said, getting a blank stare from Fugaku. "Understandable considering the circumstances." Shisui looked to Itachi. "Itachi remember that incident back in the Land of Spring, where we had to dress up as…"

"I remember," Itachi said, stopping his friend. It may have been a trick of the light, but Fugaku thought he saw his son's face turn crimson.

"Is there a story there?" Fugaku asked, unaware he was smiling.

Itachi shook his head. "Not one I wish to share. Sufficient to say that this is the real Shisui. Though I thought we both agreed to take that particular story to our graves."

Shisui laughed. "It was the first thing that came to mind, that could convince you. Plus, you stopped me before I could go into detail. So, no harm done."

Fugaku shook his head, watching the interaction between the two. Then he took on a serious expression. Shisui noticed and looked at him. "Before you explain what has happened. I have to ask. How is?"

"They're both alright, Fugaku-Sama." Shisui said, cutting off his question. "Sasuke is in the assembly hall, though he is shaken up the night's events. As for your wife she's in the hospital."

Worry shot through Fugaku's mind. "Is she alright?" He asked.

Shisui nodded his head, letting Fugaku relax a little. "She was injured by her attackers. But I believe the hospital will be able to take care of her. Especially with Tsunade-Sama up there. I have to admit your wife is one badass lady. She killed three of the attackers before I arrived and was about ready to kill me before she came to her senses." He looked at Itachi. "I can safely say that Itachi doesn't get his skills from you alone."

Fugaku smiled at the way Shisui described his wife. At the moment, he wanted nothing then go and see her. To hold her in a tight embrace to reassure himself that she was okay. He put that desire to the back of his mind. For now, it was enough to know she was okay, and so was Sasuke. Right now, he had other matters to deal with. "The guards were just telling me that the clan was already gathered in the assembly hall. Did you call them in?"

Shisui shook his head. "No, that was Yashiro's work. But it did provide me with an opportunity."

"An opportunity?" Itachi asked.

Shisui nodded. "Come on. I'll explain on the way to the assembly hall."

Fugaku turned to face an ANBU. "Inform the Hokage of the developments here." The ANBU nodded and disappeared in a whirl of leaves. With the messenger gone, Fugaku turned to Shisui. "Started from the beginning."

The group of shinobi walked into the compound as Shisui began his story.

Uchiha Compound, two hours ago:

Shisui was nervous, no scratch that he was well beyond nervous. The better way to put it would be that he was a hairs breath away from a nervous breakdown. He peeked out into the crowd, virtually the entire Uchiha clan was gathered in the assembly hall. Several questions popped into his mind. How many of them were loyal? How many of them had turned their backs on the village? How many of them would die this night?

Shisui shook his head and hide back behind the curtains. He knew this was no time to be weighed down by questions and doubts. He would receive his answers soon enough, and regardless of the outcome, the Uchiha clan would never be the same again. He looks into a nearby mirror. Instead of seeing his own face, he saw the face of the man that was the cause of all the night's problems. "Yashiro, damn you." He said quietly to the image. "Whatever, Itachi-San and Fugaku-Sama are doing to you. I hope they're making you suffer through it." It was perhaps the most bitter he had ever felt towards anyone, perhaps except Danzo.

"Sir?" A voice said. Shisui looked to the man close by him. He was one of the Uchiha who came to check up on him, Mikoto, and Sasuke after the attack. His friend, a trained medic, had stayed at the hospital they brought Mikoto to. The young man was giving him a questioning look.

Shisui held back a smile. "Don't worry, I'm just venting." He explained to the man.

The clansman nodded his head. "I can understand." He said. "It is hard to believe that one man could cause so much trouble."

Frustrating would be a good way to describe it. While not necessarily a veteran, Shisui had been a shinobi long enough to understand how much damage a single person could cause if they were determined enough. Or insane enough. "You would be surprised at what one person can do if they set their mind to it. Try looking over history, and you'll understand."

The clansman nodded. "You think this plan will work?" He said, looking over Shisui's henged form.

Shisui looked into a nearby mirror. As far as he could tell, he had transformed into a near enough perfect copy of Yashiro. "I hope so." Shisui almost whispered, "Otherwise, we'll have to think of something else."

"But won't they see through a henge like that? Especial of one of them has their Sharingan active?" The Clansmen said.

Shisui nodded at him, it was a good point. The henge was a low-level genjutsu, which meant that there was no way for it to fool an Uchiha with their Sharingan active. Hell, most shinobi weren't fooled by it, making it rarely used. It was mostly used on civilian targets. "I know that. But looking out there, I don't notice anyone with their Sharingan on. I'm thinking that anyone following Yashiro probably believes that their plan is going smoothly."

"But surely they understand that no plan ever goes as planned." The clansman said, sounding nervous. "They can't be that arrogant? Can they?"

Shisui gave the man a small, sad smile. It might have been more sincere if it were his face doing it. "Clansman, arrogance is a folly that plagues all shinobi. The Uchiha Clan is especially subjectable to it." It was a hard lesson he had learned years ago, and it had come at the cost of a friend's life. "I'm going to be counting on that."

"I just hope you're right, Shisui-San." The man said.

"Try not to worry about it. If the plan goes well, then we'll have routed out the other traitors. If not," Shisui repressed a grimace, it was not a possibility he wanted to consider but knew could happen. "We'll think of something if it comes to that. Until then," Shisui looked over at the crotched figure. "Keep our special guest safe."

The clansmen nodded. "With my life."

With an acknowledging nod at the man, Shisui turned around, looking out at the stage. "I believe we've kept them waiting long enough." Shisui took a deep breath to calm his nerves. The next few moments would determine the future of the Uchiha clan. Oddly enough, Shisui didn't feel any weight on his shoulders like he would sometimes, before a big mission. He felt strangely at peace. All the doubts and fears that had been plaguing him had become silent. He knew so much was at stake right now and that any number of things could go wrong. But this peace he felt, it told him he didn't need to worry, that somehow everything would turn out fine. He hopes it wasn't some vain attempt at naïve optimism. "Let's get started." He said to himself.

He stepped out onto the stage. Almost immediately, the crowd took notice of him and fell silent, with a few hushed whispers.

"Is that Yashiro-San? What is he doing here?"

"Wasn't he the one that called for this meeting?"

"I don't see Fugaku-Sama. Is he late?"

"I wonder what this is about?"

Shisui looked at the crowd, relieved to see that no one had activated their Sharingan, nor did anyone look at him with suspicion. "So far, so good." He thought to himself. He got to the center of the stage and turned to face the crowd. Gazing out the assembled body of the Uchiha clan, he had to wonder how many of them were following in Yashiro's madness.

He cleared his throat. "My fellow clansmen." He said, channeling his chakra into his throat both to sound like Yashiro and to project his voice across the assembly hall. "I thank you all for coming here on such short notice. You may be wondering why I have called for an emergency session of the entire Uchiha clan. You may have also noticed the absence of our clan head and his family." The crowd began to whisper again.

"He's right I haven't seen his sons or his wife."

"It's not like Itachi-San to be late. Is he on a mission?"

"I don't think so. I thought I saw you earlier this morning."

Shisui/Yashiro signaled for the crowd to quiet down. "I know you have many questions, and in due time I will answer them. But first, there is something I must make certain of." Shisui/Yashiro began to walk back and forth across the stage. "It is true that our illustrious clan has been divided by a most contentious subject for the past few weeks. That being if we should remain loyal to Konoha." Several Uchiha shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the divide in the clan. "It started when our clan head Fugaku-Sama decided to call off the coup against the village and to open negotiations with them. A coup that I would remind you would have been justified, and I still support fully." He noticed several of his clansmen glaring at him, and a few were nodding and smiling at him. He quickly memorized those faces, marking them as being a part of Yashiro's following. The disguised Shisui continued with his speech. "Regardless of his intentions, the outcome was clear to see. The village now openly distrusts us, may even be plotting against us."

This time shouts were coming from the crowd. Some in support of Yashiro's assertions. "We can't let them do this."

"This village never deserved our loyalty."

"Madara was right. The village as turned against us."

Others denying. "Madara was a fool. He would have lead us to our destruction."

"The Hokage would never let the village destroy us."

The shouts continued to grow more heated as the two sides formed. Shisui mentally smiled to himself. This was good, he was now getting a better idea of who the loyalist and traitors were. Some were even starting to separate themselves from the others. Shisui/Yashiro gestured with his hands to placate the crowd. "Clansmen, please, there is no need for arguments here." He said, getting the attention of most of the crowd. Some continued with their arguments, needing others to stop them. Once everyone was looking at him again, he continued. "I know this is still a sore subject, but it must be discussed." He looked over the crowd seeing that others were dividing their attention between him and shooting glares at each other. "Hmm, perhaps it is best we got things out in the open." Shisui/Yashiro said, deciding now was the time. "To those who agree with me, who believe that this village has betrayed our great clan. Please step forth." There were several confused murmurings following his request. "There is no need for hesitation. We are all Uchiha here, and even if we don't always agree on something, our clan will always be one." He said this with his best impression of Yashiro's smile. "So, please do as I say."

This seemed to do the trick as several of the Uchiha did as he said. They stepped out from the crowd, forming a second group of Uchiha. Some walked out with confidence and prideful smiles on their faces. Some appeared more hesitant require some coaxing from their fellows. "Why is Yashiro-San doing this?" One asked.

"Perhaps, he intends to reward us for our loyalty." Another answered. "I say about time. Especially after tonight."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing you need to worry about."

The whole exchange had happened under whispers, but Shisui had heard them. He had repressed the desire to grit his teeth. This confirmed to him that others were in on the coup attempt. Perhaps not all, but that was up to T&I to determine. His job right now was to find out who all followed Yashiro, that way, the whole clan didn't have to be interrogated.

The remaining Uchiha stepped back, separating themselves further from their wayward clansmen. When it was all done, there were now two distant groups of Uchiha. Looking them over, Shisui had to stop his horror from coming to the surface at seeing how many had fallen under Yashiro's sway. He, however, was glad to note the Loyalists outnumbered the traitors.

Shisui/Yahsiro nodded at the smaller group. "I thank you for your loyalty and devotion to my cause. I assure you, that you will receive your just rewards." This time the smile Shisui put on was genuine. A part of him was looking forward to what came next. "Now then, I believe it is time that we got to what this meeting is about." Shisui put on sullen expression. "I afraid I do not have good news. What I'm about to say will, without a doubt, shake this clan to its very core. Shortly before I called this meeting, there was an attempt on the lives of our clan head and his family."

Shocked gasps rippled across the assembly halls. "This can't be. Is Fugaku-Sama alright?"

"What of Mikoto-Sama, and Sasuke-San?"
"Is this why they're not here. Could they be dead?"

Shisui, however, paid more attention to the group that proclaimed their loyalty to Yashiro. They were mostly calm about the announcement. Though few looked just as shock and surprised as the rest of the clan.

Then someone asked the piercing question. "Who would do such a thing?"

Several of Yashiro's followers turned to face the crowd. "Yes, who would do such a thing." One of them asked, sounding almost gleeful. "Please, enlighten us, Yashiro-San. Tell us so we may bring justice to these vile criminals."

Shisui now had a predatory grin on his disguised face. "If you insist." He said. "These criminals, as my friend here put it, are the lowest of scum. Who know nothing of honor or integrity. The people who would spit on what this clan stands for and would do anything if it meant they could fulfill their pity ambitions. They know nothing of loyalty."

Several of Yashiro's followers were voicing their agreements. "These criminals must be brought to justice."

"They deserve to be punished for their crimes against our clan."

"No one crosses the Uchiha clan and gets away with it."

One of Yahsiro's followers turned around, looking up at Shisui/Yashiro with a crazed look in his eyes. "Tell us Yashiro-San. Tell us who has killed our clan head and ended his bloodline."

"I'm looking at them." Shisui said.

The Uchiha turned around to face the rest of the clan. "See, we should have never trusted Kono?" He stopped mid-sentence and whirled back around. "What?"

"You heard me," Shisui said, dispelling his henge. "I'm looking at the people who tried to kill our clan head and his family."

The man backed away. "Impossible you're supposed to be." He clamps his hand over his mouth as he realized what he was about to say.

Shisui shot the man and the rest of the Uchiha loyal to Yashiro a glare. "Suppose to be what?" He asked, lacing his voice with venom. "Dead? Like Fugaku-Sama, and his family?"

Realization was dawning on the rest of the traitors as they slowly recovered from their surprise. Some even looked like they were ready to flee at the first sign of trouble.

"Shisui, what is the meaning of this?" One of the Uchiha from the loyalist said, stepping forward. "How could they be responsible for the attack on our clan head? They couldn't have, they wouldn't betray their own clan. Would they?"

Shisui slowly nodded his head, not bothering to hide his shame. "I afraid that is what happened. Itachi and I were walking down the streets of Konoha when we received a message from Fugaku-Sama. In it, he told us that Yashiro wanted to meet with him in private in the forest near Konoha park," Shisui took out the message and tossed it at the loyalist. The man that questioned him grabbed it from the air and began to read over its contents. "and how he had a suspicion that Yashiro had no intention of talking to him. So, he asked us to warn the Hokage and gather up whatever ANBU we could and go to where he would meet the man."

The man looked up from the message and turned his head to the other loyalist. He nodded his head. "He's telling the truth. This message was written by Fugaku-Sama. Look it even as his seal on it." He said, pointing to the bottom of the message.

The traitors were starting to look nervous now as they realized the position they were in. "Itachi immediately went ahead to aid his father. But he told me to go to the compound just in case Yashiro tried to do anything his mother and brother." Shisui frowns as his memory flashes back when he saw a clansman raise his sword against Mikoto and Sasuke. "Itachi's suspicion was right. I arrived just in time to stop an assailant from killing Mikoto-Sama, and her son. An assailant who was an Uchiha."

Shocked rippled through the crowd as they realized what this meant. Then anger quickly took over. "Traitors!"

"How dare you try to kill our clan head!"

"Stay away from my children, you traitors!"

Shouts came from the crowd directed at the second group of Uchiha. Things quickly escalated from there as several loyalists assumed fighting stances, some pulling out weapons and others readying handsigns. Some of the loyalists, parents most likely, pulled the younger Uchiha behind them, shielding them in case fighting broke out.

The clansmen loyal to Yashiro were not ide either as most of them got in defensive positions. "He's lying. There is no way that Yashiro would betray the clan!"

"He's in league with Konoha. They want to destroy us all."

"What proof does he have?"

"What proof do I have?" Shisui almost growled out. "How about an eyewitness to these events." He looked over behind the curtains and signaled.

A small figure emerged onto the stage slowly. Several of the traitors paled as they recognized the figure and realized that there was no way out. Sasuke Uchiha stops beside Shisui. Shisui held his hand out behind the young boy. "Sasuke-San here can confirm what I said."

The boy looked up at Shisui, then at the crowd. "He's right." The young Uchiha said hesitantly. "Mom and I were talking when. When." The boy trailed off as he began to shake.

Shisui gave the boy a pat on the back. Sasuke looked up at Shisui, his eyes having a mix of fear and confusion in them. "It's alright, Sasuke-San. I'll keep you safe. No one." Shisui shoots a heated look at the small group of Uchiha. "And I mean, no one here will harm you."
The boy stared up at him for a moment before nodding. He looked back out at the assembled body of the Uchiha clan.

"We were attacked by some clansmen. They said that Yashiro sends his regards." Sasuke said. "That our deaths would bring glory to the Uchiha clan."

"The boy's lying. The traitor must be putting him up to it." One of the traitors said, pointing at Shisui. "We would never kill another Uchiha."
"I'm not lying." Sasuke shouted, tears streaming down his eyes. "I saw it myself. They tried to kill us! They, they stabbed mom in the stomach. There was blood everywhere." Sasuke's voice was becoming shaky.

"Be silent, brat!" Another of the traitors shout as he leaped up onto the stage. The man pulled out a Kunia and charged at the boy.

Shisui acted on instinct and threw himself around the boy exposing his back to the man's attack. He waits for the feeling of the kunai entering his flesh.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing on metal echoed through the assembly hall. Shisui looks up and turns his head around. The clansman he talked to before coming onto the stage was standing in front of the attacker. He was using a Kunia to hold off the attacker's. "As Shisui-San said. No harm shall come to Sasuke." Then he pushed out, forcing the attacker back. Then landed a kick that sent the man off the stage, crashing onto the floor below.

Making sure that Sasuke was alright, Shisui stood up and turned to face the man. "Thank you." He said.

The man nodded at him keeping his eyes on the Uchiha below. "I was doing my duty as a loyal member of this clan."

"Take Sasuke to the back and make sure he stays safe." Shisui said.

"Right away, Shisui-San." The man said, putting his weapon away. He went over and took the young Uchiha's hand.

"You did, well, little guy." Shisui said to the boy, smiling at him. "Now, let me handle the rest."

The boy nodded. "Alright." He said before being dragged off stage.

Shisui turned his attention back to the two groups of Uchiha. That little stunt seconds ago had worsened the tension between the two. The clan was just a hairsbreadth away from a civil war now. "I suggest that you all surrender now." He said to the smaller group of Uchiha.

One of the traitors glared at him. "Why would we do that?"

Shisui felt his anger flare for a moment. "How foolish can you be?" He shouted at the man and the rest of Yashiro's loyalists. "Your little rebellion has been exposed, both to the rest of the clan and the village. Your leader is likely dead now or being taken to T&I for interrogation, and in case you haven't noticed." He gestured to the much larger group of Konoha loyalists. "You're the minority here. If you try to fight, you will lose and make things worse for yourselves."

"He's right." Said one of the loyalists, holding out a sword. "You can't fight all of us. As much as you deserve it, I do not wish to stain my blade with the blood of a clansman."

"Surrender now, and I can assure you that the Hokage will show leniency." Shisui said. "Think of your lives here. Think of how this would affect your families. Do you really want them to live with the stigma of being related to traitors? Do you want that for the whole clan?"

That seemed to take the fight out of a few of Yahsiro's men, as they hesitantly dropped their weapons. The rest, though, became more enraged by Shisui's offer. "Like hell, I'll surrender." The man said, brandishing his weapon. "Even if we are destined to fail. I would rather die than be taken prisoner by this wretched village." He got several cheers from the group around him.

Shisui could almost feel his heart sink. "Please, I beg of you. Recon." He was interrupted when the man charged at him. This time not having to worry about Sasuke, Shisui could react in time and block the attack with his katana.

"No more talk. The man said. Then the noise of fighting and screaming reached Shisui's ear.

Uchiha Compound, present time

Shisui had a dark look on his face. Around the streets of the compound, Fugaku noticed the signs of battle. "After that, fighting broke out between the loyalist and those who were under Yashiro's sway. Some of it ended up spilling out of the assembly hall. We were just lucky that the fighting ended quickly."

"Probably because Yashiro had brought his best men to attack my father," Itachi said, keeping his voice even.

Shisui nodded. "Yeah, probably." He said, looking at a broken-down stall, some of its pieces stained in red. "As you can guess, the loyalist won. If you can even call this a victory."

Fugaku shared in that bitter sentiment. How could things have gotten so bad? How did it get to the point that clansmen had to turn on each other? Yashiro claimed that he was doing this for the good of the clan. Would he say that now if he saw the damage he had caused? "How many?" He asked. "How many were taken by Yashiro's madness?" He almost regretted asking but had to know.

Shisui looked at him, he was smiling but it was a sorrowful one. "By my best guess. A quarter of the clan, maybe even a third."

Fugaku was glad that his eldest son was there to keep him from falling. "That many?" He said through a rasped voice.

Shisui nodded. "Reasonably sure, Fugaku-Sama. We'll have more concrete numbers soon enough." He said.

There was another question that Fugaku wants to ask. But words refused to surface on his lips, too afraid to know the answer. Itachi, though seemed to be the braver one. "Casualties?"

They had arrived at the entrance to the assembly hall when Shisui stopped at the door. "Seventeen dead." He said. "Ten from the traitors, and seven from the loyalist. About a dozen on both sides have suffered mild to major injuries. They're being treated right now, and we've sent messengers to the hospital requesting for aid."

Again, Fugaku felt like the world was shaking around him. Add in those killed during the fight in the forest, tonight's death count had risen past three dozen people, with possibly more to be added. "Oh, kami." He said. A part of him hoped that this was all one big nightmare, that he would wake up any moment.

"Is Yashiro still alive?" Shisui asked.

Fugaku nodded his head. "Yes, he is. He's being taken to T&I as we speak." Now he was regretting not going with his first instinct to kill the man.

Shisui eyes cloud over for a moment as he looked down briefly. "I say it's more than he deserves." The young man took a deep breath. "Come on, let's go in. I think it would do the rest of the clan good to see you, Fugaku-Sama. This night has shaken them, all of us to the core.

Fugaku nodded. Shisui opened the door, letting the group enter the assembly hall. The first thing Fugaku noticed was the divide in his clan. On one side, under guard and tied up, was what he guessed was the Yashiro's remaining followers. The expression on their faces was an even mix between resignation and defiance. A few were being attended to by medics. The larger group of loyalists huddled together far from the others. They seem mostly content to ignore or stare hatefully at the bound traitors.

Along one of the assembly hall's walls were several bodies covered by sheets, noticeably separated into two groups. A few guards stood over them while a few other Uchiha knelt over the bodies, seemingly in mourning.

The atmosphere, though, was somber. This was not a gathering of celebration or camaraderie among clansmen. A prevailing sense of defeat and shame hung in the air. Something that had not been felt since the Kyūbi attack.

One of the ANBU, a young man with silver hair, spoke up. "Things won't be the same, will they?"

Fugaku remained silent, thinking over tonight's events and everything leading to them. "Perhaps." Was all he could say. He had much to think about, and looking at the rest of his clan, he knew the same could be said about them.

After a moment, one of the Uchiha noticed the new arrivals. Their expression lit up when they saw Fugaku. "Fugaku-Sama!" The young man shouted, grabbing the attention of everyone in the assembly hall. "It's Fugaku-Sama. He's alive. He's here." He kept saying, pointing at Fugaku

The crowd of Uchiha looked at where the man was pointing and broke into excited chatters. A few even tried to approach him. "Fugaku-Sama, we're so glad to have you back."

"It's a relief to see you alive."

"Is it true that Yashiro tried to kill you? Where is he?"

"Is that Hiashi-Sama? Are the Hyūga helping us?"

More questions were being thrown at Fugaku-Sama, coming at him quicker than he could handle. Itachi stepped in front of him, as did Shisui. "Please calm down, everyone." Itachi said. "My father has only just arrived, and as you can imagine, this has been a long and trying night for him."

"That's right, give the man some space." Shisui cut in.

This seemed to calm the crowd down some, allowing Fugaku to respond. "I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing." Fugaku said, silently nodding his thanks to the two young men. "I will answer everything you have to ask of me in due time. But first, other matters must be attended to." Several of the Uchiha clansmen nodded at him.

"Yes, Fugaku-Sama." One of them said. "What is it you wish us to do?"

Fugaku looked over at the captured traitors. Most of them were looking at him in shock, some in anger. "First off, are the traitors secured?" He said.

The clansman looked over at the group bounded Uchiha. "They have been Fugaku-Sama." He said, nodding. Then he looked back at Fugaku. "Though I'm afraid some of the traitors managed to escape the compound. We did not have the manpower to pursue them, so I fear they have already left the village."

Fugaku grimly nodded at the man. "ANBU-San." He said.

"Yes, sir?" The silver-haired ANBU said, standing at attention."

"Inform the Hokage of this development. That he needs to send Hunter squads after them." Fugaku commanded. If they acted quickly enough, there was still a chance to contain the situation. "Also, ask him to someone here to pick up the captured traitors."

"Understood." The young man said before rushing out of the assembly hall.

With the ANBU gone, Fugaku turned his attention back to the clansman. "Have the traitors prepped for pick up." He said.

The man nodded. "Already on it, Fugaku-Sama." The man signaled to a couple of others. They nodded and rushed off to where the prisoners were.

"I believe I can be of assistance." Hiashi said.

Fugaku looked at him for a moment, then back at the clansman. "Will that be acceptable?"

The man nodded. "We can use all of the help we can get." He said.

"Than your help will be appreciated." He said to his old friend. "And Hiashi, thank you. It's been good working with you again.

Hiashi nodded at him. "No need to thank me, Fugaku. Once things have calmed down, I would not mind talking to you."

"I look forward to that." Fugaku responded. Hiashi and a few ANBU and Jōnin left for the prisoners.

"Is there anything else?" The clansman asked.

Fugaku noticed that most of the clan's youngest were still in the assembly hall. "Get the younger Uchiha out of here and back to their homes. More Konoha squads will be arriving soon, and most of the clan will likely be subject to interrogation. I don't want them to be here for that."

"Of course." The clansman nodded. "Should their families be allowed to go with them?" He asked.

Fugaku thought about it for a moment. It would not do the children well to be left alone, especially after tonight. "Only if they are civilians. Those who have shinobi parents should go with the kids that don't."

"I'll help out with that." Shisui said, stepping up.

"Thank you, Shisui." Fugaku said.

"No problem." Shisui said, leaving with a few other Uchiha.

Now left with only a few ANBU and other Konoha Shinobi, Fugaku had one last thing on his mind. "Speaking of the younger Uchiha. Where is my son?"

The clansman smiled at him. "He's up by the stage." He said, pointing to the front of the assembly hall.

Fugaku's line of sight followed where the man's finger was directed at. Sure enough, he saw his son sitting up at the stage, another clansman nearby watching over him. Fugaku felt relief wash over him. Hearing Shisui say his son was okay had relaxed him but seeing him safe had fully lifted the burden off of his shoulders. He turned to look at the Konoha loyalist. "If you would not mind."

"Of course." A Jōnin said. "We'll stay here and help out however we can."

Fugaku nodded, then looked to his eldest son. Itachi nodded and gestured for him to lead the way. The two Uchiha through the assembly hall, going to where Sasuke is. When they got close, the man watching over him, noticed them and bowed.

"Fugaku-Sama." He said.

Fugaku gestured for the man to raise. "Thank you for watching my son. You can go now." The man nodded at him and left. Now alone with his two sons, Fugaku looked to his youngest. "Sasuke," He said, feeling a swell of emotion. "I can't begin to express how happy I am to say that you are okay. I am so sorry for dragging you into all of this."

He got no response from his son.

"Sasuke?" Again, no response.

The boy slid off the stage, and for a moment, Fugaku thought his son was going to give him a response. His heart sank when the young Uchiha ran up to his brother and wrapped his arms around him. Itachi looked down at his little brother giving him a fond smile and rubbing the top of his head.

Then he looked at Fugaku, giving him a sympathetic smile. "Do not fear, father. One day Sasuke-Kun will be able to forgive you and look to you as a father."

That had stung him more than he had thought it would. He understood where his oldest son was coming from. Fugaku knelt down and reached out to his young son. The boy pulled away, moving behind Itachi. Again, Fugaku felt his heart sinking, he pulled away from his hand. "Sasuke, I know you will find this hard to believe, but I do love you. You are one of the most precious things in my life. I know I have failed you in my responsibilities as a father. But I promise you this. From this day forth, I will do better." And that was a promise he intended to keep.

Later that night, T&I holding facility under Konoha:

"Our hunter teams have managed to capture some of the fleeing traitors." An ANBU reported to Hiruzen. "They are being brought back to the village as we speak."

Hiruzen gave a solemn nod of his head, wishing he had his pipe with him. "Good. What of the other fleeing Uchiha?" It had only been a few hours after the incident with the Uchiha had resolved itself, and Hiruzen still found it hard to believe it. It ached his old heart to know that so many Uchiha had chosen to turn not just against the village but their clan as well. Though was happy to know that majority of the clan remained loyal. Even though he knew this would not stop Danzo from throwing a fit. He was not looking forward to that.

"They are still being pursued." The ANBU reported. "Though I fear we may not be able to catch them. These people know this land as well as we do."

"I see." Hiruzen responded. That was not good. Some of the fleeing Uchiha had served in the Shinobi corps for many years and knew many of the village's secrets. If they were allowed to roam free, there was no telling what kind of damage they could do. Some may even try to take those secrets to enemy villages, like Iwa. Hiruzen knew he was a soft man; be even he could not allow for that to happen. "Redouble our efforts to find them, commander. Assign additional teams to the search parties. Send word to our border outposts to keep an eye out for the traitors. I also want a message sent to the Daimyo asking him for aid in hunting these traitors down. We must do everything we can to capture them."

The ANBU nodded at him. "Yes, Hokage-Sama. Shall we also put bounties on them?"

Hiruzen thought about it for a moment. He didn't like the idea of bringing in others. There was a risk that the traitors could try to ransom off their secrets in exchange for their freedom. But Hiruzen knew they would need all the help they could get. "Yes, once they have been identified, put a bounty of one million on their heads."

"Right away, sir."

Hiruzen nodded at the man. "Good, now then do we have a final causality figure?"

"Yes, Hokage-Sama." The ANBU said. "In total, fifty-six were killed. Thirty-three belonging to the traitor Uchiha and twenty-three belonging to loyalist forces."

Hiruzen removed his hat and put a hand through his hair, sighing. "That many?" He said, putting the hat back on.

The ANBU nodded. "It could have been worse, sir."

Hiruzen knew the man was right. Fugaku's suspicions about Yashiro's intentions, and the warning he gave had likely saved more lives. Not to mention Shisui's quick thinking in exposing most of the traitors had allowed them to contain the situation swiftly. If it weren't for them, Hiruzen shuddered to think how many more would have died this night. "Still, it doesn't make it any easier to accept. Too much blood was shed tonight, and all because of one man's ego."

"I agree Hokage-Sama." The ANBU said.

They kept walking down the halls of the T&I facility until they were greeted by a scarred man. "Ibiki, report," Sarutobi commanded.

"Hokage-Sama," The head interrogator said. "Our honored guest." He pointed to a cell door. "Has given us a wealth of information regarding all who followed him and their plans for the village. He's even implicated several non-Uchiha who sided with him and how they would have aided in his rebellion."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. How many traitors did his village have? "I want those people brought here for interrogation."

"Alright on it." Ibiki said with a sadistic smile. "I look forward to learning what they know."

"But that is not what brought me here." Hiruzen said. "In your report you said, you had something important to tell me."

Ibiki nodded at him. "Yes, I did." He looked over at the cell door. "Yashiro-San claims he had a benefactor who pushed him to support the coup against us. Some from outside the village."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. Someone had tried to engineer a civil war within Konoha? Who? Why? "Did he say who it was?"

Ibiki shook his head. "No. He said he would only tell you. If I had to guess, He'll try to bargain with you over it."

Hiruzen shook his head, Yashiro was again proving what a coward he was. "He's probably looking for leniency." Then he began to rub his chin in thought. "Still, he may have valuable information."

"My thoughts, exactly, Hokage-Sama." Ibiki said.

"Very well then. I will talk to the man and determine if the information he has is worth anything." Hiruzen said, stepping up to the cell door. "Both of you remain out here."

Both the ANBU and Ibiki nodded at him. Hiruzen signaled to the guard standing next to the door. She opened the door.

Walking into the cell, Hiruzen began to speak. "Alright, Yashiro, I'm here. What do you have!?" Then he stopped in his tracks, feeling his veins run cold. "Guards!"

Ibiki and the others burst into the room. "What is it Hokage-Sama?" Ibiki began to ask. Then he stopped when he saw the blood-spattered remains of Yashiro. His face contorted in fear and pain, and his eyes were gone.

"Put the village on alert. We have an intruder."

Unknown location, outside Konoha:

A lone figure stood on a hill overlooking the forest that surrounds Konoha. A second figure began to emerge from the ground.
"Master." The second figure said. "Our plan has failed. The Uchiha clan still stands."

"That I can see." The first said, giving no indication if he was angered by the news. "That cursed clan will prove to be a problem for our plans in the future. We will have to move more carefully."

"Yes, master." The second said. "I have eliminated Yashiro. He was about to give away your existence."

Again, the first figure seems unsurprised by this news. "As expected of a man who would betray his own blood. Did you retrieve his eyes?"

The second figure nodded. "I have master." He said, holding out his hand revealing a set of bloody Sharingan eyes. "They may not be the ones you were after. But I hope they will still be of use to you. Shall we begin the procedure when we return to our base?"

"No." The first answered. "Keep those eyes in storage. We may yet receive the ones I seek."

"Yes, master." The second figure retreated his hand. "Konoha will no doubt have learned of Yashiro's demise by now. They will be looking for us."

"It does not matter. Despite this setback, our plans are still in motion. And soon enough, like the rest of this world." The first figure turned around and looks down at the second with rippling purple eyes. "They shall know the true meaning of pain."

And so the Uchiha Betrayal comes to a close. The Uchiha clan survives, (mostly) and Itachi didn't have to traumatize his brother. We even got a glimpse at who was behind the coup, you can probably guess it is. If you can't than try reading the Manga or watching the anime, or both, than come back to this story. We'll be moving onto the next arc witch I'm tentatively naming the "Kurama Kidnapping" (still working out the details on that, but I do have a general idea how it will play out), and after that I'll move on to graduation and the true genin test. Not the bell test mind you, I've got a different sensei in mind for Naruto and his team.

You may have also noticed I updated the other chapters in this story, I got a new grammar program or rather I upgraded to the premium version some time ago. I ran those chapters through it and it found a lot of mistakes, so I spend the better of this week fixing those and making a couple of my own edits. Hope it helps with the story.

Be seeing in the next update.