IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: Hey, hey! It's me again. I actually intended to start writing again sooner, but life got a bit busy. Changed careers, moved to a new country, stuff like that. Either way, I have some reliable free time with my new schedule, so I can write with some regularity.

Also, I feel I should mention: This is the wife of the original author of this account. If you don't know the history behind this shift, I encourage you to check chapter 18 of "Into The Abyss". I don't really have the energy to go through it again here, but that chapter explains it.

First and foremost, this is another genderbend fic featuring Naruto and Sasuke, but unlike last time, Naruto will be female, and Sasuke will be male. FemNaruto's name will be "Naraka", as opposed to the more standard "Naruko", simply because I think "Naruko" sounds dumb, and "Naraka" is still identifiable.

LIke ITA, the characters will be aged up a bit. This story will take place around the time of Naraka and Sasuke's senior year at the academy, with the characters being around 15-16. This story will be a bit heavy, and have some fairly borderline scenes, so I'd rather not be stuck working with 12 year old leads.

The other major change is the circumstances of Konoha. In this version of events, the Uchiha Massacre did not happen, nor did the Nine-Tails Attack. As such, Minato and Kushina are still alive, as is the entire Uchiha clan. The characterization of both Sasuke and Naraka will shift accordingly.

Anyway, that was long, so let's get into the story!

Time for Chapter 1

Enjoy!

"You promised me, Fugaku."

"It wasn't my first choice."

"Then think it through some more. There has to be a better option."

"We're short on time, and Itachi's preoccupied. I don't like it either, but it's necessary."

"He's completely clueless. Do you honestly think he'll play along?"

"Once I explain it all, yes. Family comes first, and he knows it."

"I hate everything about this."

"He was always going to find out, Mikoto. We can't shelter him forever."

"You're throwing him to the wolves."

"I'm putting my faith in him. I think he'll appreciate it."

"Manipulative bastard."

"Maybe, but we'll all be happier for it."

"...I'll fetch him when he gets home."

Sasuke wiped a few stray beads of sweat from his brow as he trudged his way down the lightly paved street. The trek from the academy to the Uchiha sector wasn't terribly long, but the heat and humidity often made it feel downright punishing. Konoha was often lauded for its supposedly perfect climate, but Sasuke couldn't have disagreed more. Sunshine and blue skies had their place, but there was no good reason for it to be ninety degrees in late April.

You'd think I'd be used to it by now Sasuke thought to himself, kicking a stone aside as he rounded a corner. Even having lived in the Land of Fire his entire life, scarcely leaving Konoha in all sixteen years of it, he had never grown used to the heat, much less fond of it. He was something of an oddity in that regard, as nearly all of his classmates seemed to wait with baited breath for winter to conclude each year. Even among his circle of friends, all but Sasuke himself reveled in the early dawns and late dusks.

Despite his disdain, the Uchiha was in a fairly good mood. The academic year was nearly done, with just over three weeks left, and his grades had come together nicely over the past several months. He was hardly the effortless standout Itachi had once been, but he was well on his way to claiming the top spot in his class for the third year in a row. A fine accomplishment to be sure; one that not even his stone-faced father could fully ignore.

After a few uneventful minutes of walking, the front gate of the Uchiha sector came into view. As per usual, it appeared to be tightly locked. Sasuke rummaged through his bag with a sigh, eventually producing his key. What exactly the gate was protecting them from, he knew not. The only other clan he knew of that bothered to maintain a gate at all were the Hyuga, and they had the excuse of a decade-old kidnapping incident. The Uchiha had no such justification.

Sasuke glanced down at his watch as he approached. It was three-forty; a half-hour later than his usual arrival time. Though he had no strict curfew, he knew better than to meander for too long, especially in the middle of the week. Picking up his pace to a light jog, he quickly reached the gate and undid the lock. Once inside, he continued on without bothering to refasten it. Itachi would certainly do so himself when he arrived home, likely past nine or ten.

After a series of brief pleasantries with several cousins and a pair of uncles he hardly knew, Sasuke arrived at the steps of his porch. The front sliding door was a crack open, and he could smell meat of some kind being cooked within. As much as he dreaded the daunting ledger of schoolwork he had to tackle that night, dinner was certainly worth looking forward to by all indications.

With that thought, Sasuke ascended the steps and entered his house with a lengthy stretch.

"I'm home!" he called, earning a muffled reply from his mother. Sasuke then kicked off his sandals and loosened the strap of his schoolbag, tossing it onto one of the coarse leather chairs of the living room as he passed through. Soon enough, he made his way into the kitchen, where he found his mother sitting at the corner of the dark oak dining table.

"Out with your friends again?" she asked, offering a friendly smile. Sasuke shook his head, scanning the room. From what he could see, she had already begun to clean up. She was likely done cooking, in which case.

"I forgot to tell you this morning," Sasuke said, eyeing a plate of what appeared to be brisket sitting on the counter. "Iruka-sensei asked me to help him clean up the kunai range yesterday, so I stayed a little late."

"Ah, that makes sense." his mother said, tracing his line of sight to the freshly-cooked meat. With a slight chuckle, she rose from her seat and retrieved the plate, sliding it across the table toward him.

"Either way, you should eat." she added. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Though he was hardly going to complain about an early meal, his mother was nothing if not meticulous about the house schedule. Dinner rarely ever happened before or after five-thirty.

"Looks great, but what's the deal? Are we going somewhere?" he asked, seating himself and pulling the fork free from the meat. Having returned to the counter, his mother began stacking plates.

"Your father wants to speak with you. It may take a while, so I figured you could use the fuel."

Sasuke frowned, glancing off toward the hallway, where his father's study resided. "Did he say what about?"

For a brief moment, his mother paused. Her shoulders bunched up, her arms tensed, and though quiet, Sasuke could've sworn he heard her teeth grind together. The tension vanished as quickly as it had come, but her response was telling.

"You'll find out." she said, her short tone making it plenty clear that she would not answer any further questions. Unsure of what to make of her strange mood swing, Sasuke opted to focus on his meal. It didn't take him long to clean his plate; he had forgotten his lunch in a rush that morning. Upon finishing, Sasuke put away his utensils and set his plate in the sink.

"He's in the study, right?" he guessed, drawing a nod from his mother. Not bothering to press further, Sasuke exited the kitchen and began a slow walk down the hall. Fugaku Uchiha was a rather private man, rarely partaking in day-to-day family activities. He wasn't an unloving parent, he had his moments, but to be requested by him was something of a rarity. Armed with this understanding, combined with his mother's strange reactions, Sasuke found himself feeling rather uneasy. Whatever he had been summoned to discuss was important, that much was obvious.

Reaching the study moments later, Sasuke lightly knocked on the wood. Light rustling could be heard from within, followed by a short reply.

"Come in." came the voice of his father. With a deep breath through his nose, Sasuke turned the handle and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. For just a moment, he surveyed the room curiously. It wasn't often that he found himself within it, as while it was not strictly off limits, there was an unspoken understanding that permission was needed to enter for anything beyond retrieving supplies. It hadn't changed much since his last foray inside, with the same desk, bent old chairs, and ornate carpet.

Seated at the desk, facing away from the door, was his father. He appeared to be writing in a journal of some kind, but his handwriting was too small for Sasuke to make out the contents from across the room.

"Take a seat, Sasuke," Fugaku said, slowly closing the leatherbound notebook. "We may be here a while."

Doing as he was told, the younger of the two Uchiha pulled the second chair from the left corner of the room, sitting himself down off to the side of the desk. For the life of him, his racing mind couldn't form a coherent guess as to what could be so important. He had broken a shop window by accident some two weeks ago while messing about with Kiba, but discipline for such a trivial matter would have been handled by his mother, if his parents had found out at all.

"Can I ask what this is about?" Sasuke asked carefully. Fugaku turned his chair to face his son, fixing him with a neutral gaze. As per usual, he was difficult to read.

"Do you actually want to be a shinobi, Sasuke?" he asked in return, posing his own question. Sasuke blinked in surprise. Of all the topics he had expected to be questioned about, his commitment to his career was quite far down the list.

"Of course I do," he replied. Fugaku eyed him intently, looking far from convinced.

"You say that like it should be obvious, but how much thought did you actually give to that question before answering it?" he pressed. Sasuke's gaze nearly faltered. He hadn't the slightest clue where the conversation was headed.

"If you're trying to make a point, I'm not really seeing it."

In a surprising twist, Fugaku did not grow stern, nor did he double down. Instead, he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not a trick question, and I'm not trying to trap you. I just want an honest answer. What do you want to do with your life? Think hard." he said. Though perplexed, Sasuke took a few moments to ponder, sifting through his priorities and interests. Oddly enough, as he did so, he found that he couldn't remember the last time he had boarded such a train of thought.

"I mean…if it were up to me, I guess I'd rather study plants and trees," he admitted. "I've always thought they were interesting."

Fugaku nodded, keeping him firmly in his sights. "I figured. Now, have you ever given any credence to the notion that you could pursue that sort of career?"

Sasuke began to reply, but stopped halfway. He then shook his head. Fugaku sighed and retracted his hand, standing up in the same motion.

"When you were small, you would beg your mother and I to take you out into the forest. We entertained it for a while, but eventually, we put a stop to it. I'm sure you remember."

Sasuke pursed his lips and glanced around the room uncomfortably. He did indeed recall. Many of his earliest memories were of short hikes through the woods, his hands held on either side by his parents. But as his father had said, such excursions had ended for reasons he had never been privy to.

"Yeah, I do," he said quietly. Fugaku slowly made his way to the other side of the study, leaning back against a large map of Konoha covering the wall.

"We did that because we could see just how much you loved the brush and trees. We couldn't let you get your hopes up." he said, a twinge of sadness creeping into his normally stoic voice. Sasuke furrowed his brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You were never going to have much of a choice in what you did for a living. Being a ninja was your only reliable option, same as it was for me at your age." Fugaku said. Sasuke gestured for him to continue. He had plenty of questions, but he got the sense that they would be answered if he simply listened. His father obliged.

"That same story is common in this clan. Almost universal, I'd say. We dream of our passions when we're young, only to have that enthusiasm weaned out of us as we age," he continued. He had begun pacing back and forth along the far wall, much like the instructors at the academy did during their lectures.

"He'd never tell you this himself, but your brother would have much rather written books than put on that Anbu uniform. But like you, it was never up to him." he said. Considering Itachi's wistful nature, and his habit of quietly staring off into the horizon, authorship certainly seemed to suit him.

"Isn't that normal for larger clans? We're the backbone of the military." Sasuke pointed out, unable to contain his inquiry as he had intended. Fugaku shook his head.

"Not quite. While it's true that the wealthier families tend to contribute more manpower than most, they still have options," he explained. "The Uchiha don't have that luxury. There are close to three hundred of us, and only eight have civilian jobs. All due to injuries suffered in action."

Finally, despite his persistent confusion, Sasuke began to piece together the point his father appeared on his way to making. Nevertheless, he let the man finish.

"The police force aside, we've been funneled into the ninja system continuously since long before either one of us were born. It's hardly a bias anymore; It's part of the village structure." he concluded, ceasing his pacing and letting his speech sink in.

The reality being suggested was one Sasuke had never bothered to consider before. Being a ninja had always been presented to him as the norm. Simply the way things were, and had always been. And in a sense, nothing his father had said refuted that notion. Rather, his explanation recontextualized it, making it appear far less noble. Whether he agreed or disagreed, Sasuke had yet to decide. All the same, he wanted to hear more.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked, not bothering to beat around the bush. At this, Fugaku stepped away from the wall and laid his hand over the administrative district on the map.

"I, and many of your relatives, think it's high time for a change in leadership for Konoha," he revealed. "And unfortunately, Lord Fourth is both popular and relatively young, so we can't make this happen politically,"

It took Sasuke no time at all to recognize the true intent behind his father's words, and when he did, his eyes widened.

"You're planning a coup, aren't you?" he guessed. Fugaku walked back to his chair and sat down, once more fixing his son with a strong stare.

"That's what I brought you in here to discuss. There's something I need you to do. Something that could prevent a coup from even being necessary," he said seriously. Sasuke swallowed a nervous lump in his throat. Pressure was mounting quickly, and he had still yet to make up his mind. He opted to play along anyway.

"Go on," he said slowly. Fugaku leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.

"Are you familiar with Naraka Namikaze? She's a classmate of yours, if I recall," he asked. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders.

"Lord Fourth's daughter? I don't know her all that well, but we've talked a few times." he said. A dark thought then occurred to him.

"You want to use her as leverage, don't you?"

Fugaku chuckled dryly. "Quick on the uptake. Maybe you're my son after all."

Sasuke bristled at the ill-timed joke. Easily as he'd spotted the tactic, he in no way liked the idea.

"That's playing dirty," he said. Fugaku nodded, making no tasteless efforts to deflect or moralize.

"I agree, but the alternative is violence, and I'd like to avoid that scenario if at all possible. If we play our cards right, nobody will be harmed, Naraka included." he assured his son. As with before, Sasuke struggled to find any concrete holes in his father's logic, despite his best efforts. And yet, even with his brain largely in agreement, his gut refused to settle. He was at the precipice of a hefty commitment; one that he wasn't convinced he could make.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, though he already had a fairly solid grasp on the task at hand.

"Your job would be to befriend her, gain her trust, and bring her in. How you go about it doesn't matter all too much, so long as you make her feel comfortable enough to come and go from the Uchiha sector without suspecting any foul play," Fugaku explained. "And once you reach that point, notify me. We'll keep her hidden away until we can force Lord Fourth out of office. You would have until the end of August."

Sasuke tapped his foot pensively. "I'm not a good liar. I can barely get anything past you or mom."

Fugaku shook his head. "We're adults, Sasuke. We've been around the block. This is a teenage girl, and a sheltered one at that. I think you'll find her easy enough to fool."

At long last, Sasuke cracked. With a long sigh, he buried his eyes in the heels of his palms. Whether he consented or not, life as he knew it was effectively over. Sensing his turmoil, Fugaku placed both his hands on his shoulders.

"It's a lot to process, I know," he said gently. "But you have to understand, I wouldn't be asking this of you if I thought there was an alternative. I need your help, and as daunting as it is, I know you can do this. You're a sharp kid."

Peeling his hands from his face, Sasuke met his father's eyes. Hard and distant as he could be at times, he was an honest man, and rarely one to ask for assistance. He was being genuine.

"Are you in?" he asked after a time. Sasuke's eyes drifted back to the map. Systemic prejudice, fizzled dreams, predetermined futures. It all made far too much sense to ignore, and as much as he hated the methods at play, it was all in motion already. And so, with a brief moment of hesitation, Sasuke nodded.

"I'm in."

A/N: Alright, first chapter complete. Quite short by my standards, but worry not. This one simply acts as context for the events to come, and while I considered adding a short scene at the end, I felt like it would feel 'tacked on'. The subsequent chapters will be a good bit longer than this one.

In case you were wondering, this fic will largely take place from Sasuke's perspective, with a bit of Naraka (and very occasionally Minato) thrown in here and there. They are the two leads, and much of their page time will occur together.

As for an update schedule, I can promise you one chapter per week, assuming this fic gets a solid amount of traction and feedback, which is never a guarantee on here. I may sometimes upload two chapters in a week, but I can't say how often.

Either way, I feel good about this first chapter. It does feel a little weird to still use Jack's account after finishing Into The Abyss, but I've talked with some readers, and they seem okay with me doing so. It's my favorite way to remember him, I think.

Please leave a review if possible. They're what motivate me to write, and constructive criticism is welcome!

See you in the next chapter!